Car accident victim fatalities and serious injuries

A rash of hit-and-run accidents occurred over a four-day period in the New York area, one in Queens, one on the Henry Hudson Parkway and one on Long Island.

Fatal Washington Heights Accident

Thursday night on October 9, 27-year old Reilyn Vinas, a Sugar Hill resident was lying on the northbound parkway of the Henry Hudson Parkway, near West 181st Street in Washington Heights. A driver hit him and kept driving. He was discovered and pronounced dead at the scene. Police officials do not know how he ended up on the parkway or what type of vehicle struck him. (Reported by the New York Post)

Fatal Accident in Queens

Saturday night on October 10, Earl Hall, age 48 was crossing Bedell Street and Linden Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens when the driver of a Ford Mustang GT struck him. According to police, the driver exited the vehicle and fled when another vehicle arrived to pick him up. The vehicle that crashed into the victim was stolen minutes prior to the accident. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and pronounced the victim dead. The search is ongoing for the suspect. (Reported by ABC 7 NY)

Long Island Hit-and-Run Accident

On Sunday night Oct 11, a vehicle struck a 48-year old man, Gary Harning, while he was standing in a parking lot at Jack MacCarthy's Pub. The pub is located in Suffolk County on Middle Country Road in Centereach. Harning was seriously injured and rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital where he later remained in serious condition but stable. The vehicle that hit him was a white pickup truck, and the driver fled the accident scene. Detectives are trying to track down the hit-and-run driver and are asking for anyone with information to contact them. (Reported by ABC 7 NY)

A Legal Perspective of Hit-and-run Accidents

Leaving an accident scene is a crime in New York even when the cause of the accident was not the fault of the fleeing driver. Hit-and-run accident drivers often make themselves look guilty, and as in the case of the Queens accident, the driver had been involved in criminal activity prior to the accident.

Seek Legal Help for Serious Injury

At Sackstein, Sackstein & Lee, LLP, we have extensive experience representing clients in hit-and-run accidents. We can provide legal advice and evaluate the prospects of pursuing a case.