Police say man was drunk when he caused fatal accident

The laws for driving while intoxicated have been on the books for many years, yet people choose to ignore the consequences and continue to drink and drive. When the senses are dulled by alcohol, the driver’s reaction times are diminished to the point they can cause a fatal accident or one with critical injuries. Alcohol was believed to be the chief factor in a New York fatal accident that happened two months ago.

A 57-year-old man and three passengers were in his BMW on their way to a basketball game, headed east on I-287. A man police say had been drinking was going the wrong way, westbound in the eastbound lanes, when he crashed his Jeep into the other car. The driver of the BMW and one of his passengers, a 17-year-old student, died after they and the other two passengers were transported to an area hospital.

The driver of the Jeep was recently arraigned on charges of driving while intoxicated and vehicular homicide. A report did not reveal his plea to the charges but the judge released him after suspending his license. He has another court appearance in two months.

This man is the reason two families are needlessly grieving. The reaction for many families who have lost a loved one in a fatal accident is to hold the negligent party accountable for his or her actions. This is often done through a wrongful death lawsuit, where an award can be based on pain and suffering, loss of future income and any medical and funeral expenses. A New York attorney will be able to guide families through the legal process as they learn to live with their loss.