Even in the wee hours after midnight, there can be a lot of traffic in many New York regions. Just before 12:30 a.m. on a recent Friday a tragedy occurred on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. As is often the case in motor vehicle collisions where driver impairment is suspected, the woman behind the wheel when this particular collision occurred is now facing criminal charges.
Police say driver lost control moments before the crash
The woman is a 22-year-old who had several occupants in her vehicle at the time of the crash. Police say she had been traveling eastbound on the expressway when she lost control of her steering. The vehicle slammed into a nearby barrier. A man who had been riding in the front passenger seat, age 23, was ejected from the vehicle upon impact.
Rescuers worked swiftly to try to save the man
Rescuers who arrived at the scene saw the man lying in the road and immediately transported him to a local hospital. Sadly, he was pronounced dead several hours later. Another person who had been riding in the rear seat of the vehicle, as well as the woman who was driving, also suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment. Both were expected to survive.
Civil litigation is separate from criminal charges
The New York driver deemed responsible for the collision has been charged with vehicular manslaughter. She is also facing charges for drunk driving. Separate from any criminal charges that might be filed following a collision, cases like this also often prompt civil litigation if an immediate family member of a fatally injured victim chooses to file a wrongful death claim in court.