When someone who is traveling on foot crosses a street, particularly at night, that person needs to trust that any motorists who are also in the area at the time are behaving appropriately and following the relevant laws that govern this situation.  If that's not the case and something goes wrong, a driver is expected to remain on the scene to help sort out the situation.  Tragically, it appears that neither occurred with regards to a suspected Harlem DUI accident that took the life of a pedestrian on Thursday night.  The driver involved in the crash attempted to flee the scene and was arrested.

According to the authorities, this suspected Harlem DUI accident occurred at approximately 11:15 p.m. on Thursday night when a 53-year-old man was attempting to cross the street at the intersection of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and West 119th Street.  As he did so, he was run down by the driver of a BMW.  The driver sped from the scene, but an NYPD tow truck that happened to be nearby followed the driver, and she eventually crashed into a parked car after hitting another vehicle during her attempted escape.  She was arrested on suspicion of several charges including DUI.

New York Pedestrian Accidents

First and foremost, we'd like to offer our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of the man who was killed.  Losing a life in such a violent and avoidable manner is always a tragedy.  In addition, this suspected Harlem DUI accident will now become part of the overall statistics regarding New York pedestrian accidents.  Every year, nearly 15,000 people are injured in these crashes and more than 300 are killed.

New York DUI Accident Lawyers

If the available facts are accurate, then the driver involved in this suspected Harlem DUI accident will face serious criminal charges.  In addition, she could face a New York wrongful death lawsuit if the family of the man who was killed initiates such a filing.  If they do and the case is successful, it could lead to an award of damages that compensates the family for their medical costs, their lost income and their loss of companionship.

If you have lost someone you love to a drunk driver, you need to seek the help of New York wrongful death lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of grieving families for 40 years.  Contact Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald today to schedule a free initial consultation.