New Haven Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents

18 Year-Old Driver Involved in Fatal One-Car Accident Charged with Negligent Homicide

Margaret Embry — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:25:11 GMT

On April 30^th in Wallingford, an eighteen-year-old male was involved in a one-car accident that killed one seventeen-year-old high school student who was riding in the front seat and injured another eighteen-year-old passenger who was riding in the back seat.  The 1999 Volkswagen GTI hatchback went out of control near Mac Kenzie Reservoir and struck a tree on the north side of the road. The front-seat passenger died May 4 from his injuries.

The driver recently turned himself in to police after learning there was a warrant for his arrest, according to Record-Journal.  He has been charged with a negligent homicide, traveling unreasonably fast, and failure to drive in the proper lane, as well as possession of steroids, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

After his arrest, the driver was release after posting $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on August 18^th.   Negligent homicide is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum sentence of either six months in prison or a $1,000 fine.

Although steroids and marijuana were found in the car, police said toxicology reports showed the teen driver was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident.  The driver was, however, traveling at least 17 miles per hour above the posted limit of 30 miles per hour.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

Avoiding Car Accidents In Bad Winter Weather

James Sabatini — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:12:00 GMT

Bad winter weather is all too common for drivers in Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. Obviously, the best safety tip in avoiding a car accident in bad winter weather is to stay off the roads. But, this is not always a viable option. Many of us need to get to work or reach an important destination such as a pharmacy or hospital, so if you are out driving in winter weather keep these practical safety tips in mind.

1. Watch out for shaded areas on the road. Due to the lack of sun exposure, these shaded areas typically will have snow and ice where the rest of the sunlight roadway is clear of snow and ice.
2. For older cars, check your battery, cable connections, alternator and drive belts. Check your cooling system to make sure that you have the right mix of fresh antifreeze and water. Check hoses for cracks or leaky connections. These checks can prevent an engine from dying on the roadway leaving you stranded in bad weather.
3. Make sure the tires on the car are winter tires or all-season tires. Furthermore, make sure the tires still have good tread. Worn tires will not grip the roadway causing the car to slip and slide.
4. Keep a half a tank of gas in the tank. If you get caught in traffic or in a snowbank, you want sufficient gas to keep the car running and heated.
5. Keep a safety kit in your car that includes a bottle of water, candy bar, flashlight, gloves, jumper cables, and flares.
6. Keep a bag of sand and shovel in the trunk. If you get stuck in snow, you can use the shovel for the snow and then lay down the sand to give your tires traction when getting out of the snow.
Following these safety tips will hopefully prevent a car accident or car breakdown during bad winter weather, but if a car accident does happen, these tips will make the accident a lot more manageable.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by James Sabatini

New Haven Police Officer in Single Car Accident

Shannon Weidemann — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:03:31 GMT

A New Haven police officer was in a single car accident and failed to report the accident to the department. After the crash he reported that he had a flat tire and needed to be towed. Later information showed that he was involved in a car accident. It is against department policy to not report a car accident. He was off duty at the time of the accident and it involved his personal vehicle.

The investigation determined that the accident was not properly reported, a violation of state statute and department rules, according to the agreement. The accident occurred during the 30-day period when Queiroga had been suspended after being convicted of breach of peace in connection with an altercation in New Haven in January.
DiCarlo then determined that the matter should be presented to the Police Commission for consideration of discipline. The chief can only discipline up to three days.

The police officer was suspended for 10 days without pay for his actions. The police officer has been on the force since 2004.

If you would like to learn more about car accidents, please visit InjuryBoard's Car Accident information page.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann