Speeding or other traffic violations that may involve pedestrians are not the only situations watched more carefully by New York police these days. Especially over a holiday weekend, law enforcement can be expected to monitor suspected drunk driving activity more closely as well. Local news media give a lot of attention to reports involving people arrested for driving while intoxicated and often paints them as irresponsible citizens that do not care about others. That, however, is not necessarily an accurate or complete view.
In one recent crash, a woman lost her friend when her vehicle skidded through several lanes of traffic and ultimately stopped after hitting a tree. The 24-year-old driver and a front-seat passenger survived the crash. Another 24-year old woman who was riding in the back seat of the vehicle, however, was not as fortunate. After being trapped in the car as it caught on fire, she was pulled by an off-duty emergency responder and taken to Harlem Hospital where she eventually died.
According to the news report, the driver of the vehicle now faces charges that involve driving a vehicle without a valid driver's license as well as driving while intoxicated. No details were given about the woman's blood alcohol content or the steps taken by authorities at the time of her arrest. Many things such as what processes were followed can impact cases like these.
Every person charged with a DWI, DWAI or other violations deserves a good defense. Anyone who finds themselves in such a situation might consider contacting an attorney to learn how they can get the help they may need.
Source: New York Post, "Passenger dies after drunk driver plows into tree," Kevin Sheehan and Antonio Antenucci, May 24, 2015