2 dead in serious car accident

A three-car collision in Malone on the afternoon of Nov. 8 has claimed two lives, according to local law enforcement. Police in the New York town say a 49-year-old man and his 42-year-old female passenger were both killed as a result of the car accident. As with most accidents of this severity, an investigation is still underway into its cause. No charges have yet been filed, but police say they could still be forthcoming.

According to the limited information in the report, the man was driving on Route 37 between Bear Hill Road and County Route 8 when the crash occurred just after 2 p.m. The man’s westbound vehicle was struck by a car headed in the other direction, before being struck by a second car. The driver of the struck vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene when medical personnel arrived.

The woman in the car was rushed to a local hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries. One of the other drivers involved also suffered injuries of unknown severity. Miraculously, a 1-year-old child in the struck vehicle survived with no injuries at all, though the child’s relationship to the deceased adults has yet to be publicly identified.

A car accident causing fatalities is obviously a tragedy, but it also compels New York police to determine its cause, in order to ensure anyone responsible faces the consequences. Should it become clear that one or more of the surviving drivers contributed in a material way to the accident, those individuals could face criminal charges. Separately, the families of the deceased victims are entitled to file wrongful death lawsuits in civil court against any party believed responsible for the crash.