Drunk driving accident on Long Island

A mother of three children, Ashley Thomas-Smith, age 34 crashed into a Long Island home around 6:45 on Sunday, October 4, 2020. She was driving while intoxicated and lost control of her Lincoln SUV on Blue Jay Drive.

According to the New York Post, her three children, ages 4,5, and 8 were in the car with her. The NY Post’s website video of the crash shows the car speeding and careening around a curve, then going airborne and flying across the resident’s yard. The vehicle tilted sideways before turning upright, hitting the ground and crashing into the house.

Ashley and her three children were taken by ambulance to Southside hospital in Bay Shore. None of the children were injured and the mother was treated for minor injuries. The children were released to their father. The Suffolk County police charged the mother with driving while intoxicated and endangering the welfare of children.

Personal Injury Perspective of the Accident

While some car accidents are not straightforward when establishing fault for the crash, this accident appears to be obvious. The car was going to fast for the driver to take the curve. In addition, in accidents where drunk driving is involved, typically the drunk driver is at fault.

In this instance, the court would most likely deem the driver at fault. The residents of the damaged house would have a case to seek damages against the drunken driver. The video did not show anyone in the home at the time of the accident. Therefore it appears that if the homeowners were to pursue compensation for  damages, the compensation would only involve property damages and not physical injury.

Do You Have a Case?

Our attorneys at Sackstein, Sackstein & Lee, LLP, have been handling personal injury cases that involve property and injury damages for decades. We are very experienced in litigation involving car accident cases. We also offer a free