A passenger in a vehicle that crashed on Interstate 86 is dead and several others are injured, according to a county sheriff’s office. Several law enforcement agencies preside over the investigation of car accidents in New York, and many were involved in unraveling what happened on the morning of Oct. 11. So far, no charges have been filed against the driver.
According to the accident report, the crash happened just after midnight on the Exit 54 ramp. Preliminary reports indicate the 27-year-old driver was attempting to negotiate a left-hand turn onto the ramp when he lost control of the vehicle. The exact specifics of the accident are still being investigated by reconstruction teams.
A 19-year-old male passenger in the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene by arriving medical personnel. The driver and a second passenger, a 32-year-old man, were both injured and taken to local hospitals. The driver was treated for minor injuries, but his other passenger remains in serious condition as of this report.
New York police investigate hundreds of car accidents each year, and their reconstruction teams will doubtless find the cause for this particular crash. When they do, it may be possible they will file charges against the driver if it is discovered he contributed materially to the crash through recklessness, negligence or intoxication. Even if no formal charges are filed, the family of the deceased passenger and the injured man in recovery are entitled under state law to file wrongful death and/or personal injury suits against the driver. In order for these suits to be successful, police evidence of the driver’s material contribution must be presented to the civil court.
Source: stargazette.com, “Ithaca man killed in Horseheads I-86 crash“, Jeff Murray, Oct. 13, 2016
