22 Jan POLICE INVOLVED IN 3 LOCAL CAR ACCIDENTS
Posted By Gruenberg Kelly Della || 22-Jan-2021
In the past couple of months, a few of the most newsworthy local car accidents have involved police action – and even police officers themselves. Five people were killed when a driver crashed into a car full of teenagers while evading the police in Yonkers, Suffolk police were trailing a man who caused a fatal accident in Medford, and a crash with a police officer sent an SUV careening into a Long Island home.
Reckless Driving Splits Car in Half
At 9:23 p.m. on Tuesday, December 22nd, Yonkers Police attempted to pull over a white Infiniti Sedan that was driving in an “erratic manner.” The driver sped off at “beyond reckless speeds,” and collided with a Nissan containing four 18-year-old men. The force of the collision caused the Nissan to split in half, and all 4 teenagers died at the scene. Although he was transported to a nearby hospital, the driver of the Infiniti also died as a result of the accident.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Sano made the following statement after the crash:
“Four young lives were cut short by the recklessness of one individual… Let this be a lesson to all who drive at excessive speeds — it not only puts your life at risk but also the innocent lives with whom you share the road.”
Yonkers Police are conducting both internal and criminal investigations into the accident.
Driver Runs Red Light While Tailed by Police
A man driving a Mercedes-Benz made a U-turn in the middle of the roadway and drove through a stop sign, prompting a marked police officer to follow him. While trailing the driver and his female passenger, the officer observed a collision on County Route 101. Tragically, the Mercedes drove through a red light and into a Chevrolet that was making a left turn. Authorities pronounced the 56-year-old driver of the Chevrolet dead at Long Island Community Hospital.
Police arrested the driver and passenger of the Mercedes on drug possession charges. Both were treated at Long Island Community Hospital for “non-life-threatening injuries,” and they will be arraigned at a later date.
Police Car Crash Ends in Fiery Wreck
Just before 2 p.m. on Friday, January 15th, an SUV collided with a Suffolk police cruiser at a residential intersection on Woods Road. After the collision, the SUV veered into a nearby house on Elkton Lane. The vehicle caught fire, and the fire spread to the home.
The police officer was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital, and the driver of the SUV was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. The residents of the house were not harmed.
Fortunately, both drivers are expected to survive.
The cause of the crash is unclear, and police are still investigating the accident.
Who Is Responsible in Accidents that Involve the Police?
New York is a no-fault car insurance state, so you should always be able to make a claim against your own insurance company – even if the police are involved in your accident. If you reach your policy maximums or exceed a certain amount in damages, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
In some situations, police officers may be liable for some of these damages. If you are injured during a car chase or a police officer collides with your vehicle directly, you may be able to file a claim against the department.
Anytime you are involved in a car crash with serious injuries, you should speak to an attorney. At Gruenberg Kelly Della, we provide every client with personal attention from start to finish. We fight aggressively for our clients, and we work on a no recovery, no fee model.
If you’ve been harmed during a police pursuit or any other car accident, don’t hesitate to call us at (888) 305-6372 or contact us online for a free initial consultation.