Leaving an accident scene can have severe legal consequences. Fortunately, sooner or later, law enforcement catches up with most hit-and-run drivers who flee the scenes of car accidents. Following the death of a 21-year-old woman on a recent Thursday, the New Jersey State Police announced that the driver of a tractor-trailer was arrested for allegedly fleeing the scene after striking a woman on Route 95 in the Fort Lee area.
Reportedly, the woman and other family members were heading to Teaneck Township in two separate vehicles when her vehicle collided with another car at about 10:30 p.m. Her parents, who were in the second car, following their daughter, witnessed the tragedy. They reported that the 21-year-old woman stepped out of her car, and the big rig struck her while she was using her cellphone, calling her mother.
First responders arrived but their life-saving efforts could not save the woman, who succumbed to her injuries before they could transport her to a medical facility. The 37-year-old truck driver fled the scene. Reportedly, the authorities located the trucker two days later, about 115 miles from the crash scene. He was arrested and held in a county jail on charges of purposely fleeing a fatal accident scene.
The family of this young woman will likely have grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim in a New Jersey civil court. The fact that the driver who struck her was arrested will likely benefit their claim for recovering financial and other damages. A New Jersey attorney with experience in dealing with victims of car accidents can assess whether any other entity can be named as a defendant in the lawsuit, such as the driver’s employer and/or any separate owner of the vehicle.