In a recent accident, a Staten Island resident and his 6-year old daughter suffered injuries while walking the family dog when they were struck by a truck.
The Accident
According to news reports, the adult victim was carrying daughter on his shoulders as they were crossing Drumgoole Road in the western area of Staten Island. The dog was on a leash. A pickup truck driven by the pediatrician was attempting a left turn from Arthur Kill Road to Drumgoole Road when the truck struck the man and his daughter. Both were thrown violently to the pavement, and both suffered brain injuries.
The girl was later determined to have suffered a fractured skull; her father suffered a concussion. Doctors at Staten Island University Hospital determined that the girl required immediate brain surgery to stem the flow of blood in her brain. She was taken by helicopter to the Children’s Medical Center in Long Island. The dog was apparently uninjured.
Police first stated that that pickup truck drove away from the scene in an unknown direction, but they arrested the pickup driver two days after the incident, and they have charged him with several misdemeanors, including leaving the scene of an accident where serious injury occurred, failure to show license/ID prior to leaving an accident scene, and failure to yield to a pedestrian. The driver denied leaving the scene and denied all criminal charges.
Conclusion
This case has two aspects: the criminal charges arising from the hit-and-run allegations and the civil case stemming from the injuries suffered by the man and his daughter. A full assessment of the civil case will not be possible until the victims’ medical conditions have stabilized. Both victims appear to have incurred serious physical injuries, and both may require extensive medical care.