Connecticut Woman Lost Her Life After Becoming the Victim of an Apparent Hit-and-run
Pedestrians have the right to reasonably believe that they are safe from being struck by a vehicle when they are adhering to laws and following common sense. However, accidents do happen and sometimes victims who were otherwise doing nothing wrong have to pay for someone else’s poor judgement. Pedestrian accidents can be particularly harmful since a person is no match for a car. There was a recent example of this here in Connecticut when a woman lost her life after becoming the victim of an apparent hit-and-run.
The accident occurred when a young woman was unloading her car in the late hours of the night and a passing driver allegedly struck her. Witnesses say that the driver stopped for a moment but then continued to drive on. This collision resulted in the young woman being dragged several feet while stuck under the car. She was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment but, tragically, later succumbed to her injuries.
The police were able to catch the suspected driver when he returned to the scene of the accident the next day. Authorities were able to match car parts found at the scene to the driver’s car and corroborate with witness statements. Police report that he was willing to be questioned but defended himself and would not admit that he may have caused the fatality. He was charged with manslaughter and evading responsibility.
No one should ever have to endure the loss of a loved one due to someone else’s negligence. The family of the young woman in Connecticut may wish to bring a civil suit agains the driver of the car, no matter the outcome of the criminal case. If they were successful in their claim, they may be entitled to financial restitution that could assist them with unpaid medical bills, funeral costs and any other expenses. Pedestrian accidents like this one should never happen but, if they do, there are ways for families to seek justice.
Source: ctpost.com, Quick police work led to hit-and-run arrest, Justin Pottle, Dec. 31, 2014