A 23-year-old man was allegedly driving a 2007 Infiniti on the Gowanus Expressway when he crashed. The car burst into flames after the accident.
The driver was able to get out of his vehicle. He was injured and hailed a cab to get a ride to the hospital. While he was waving down the cab, though, his passenger was still in the car.
The passenger was from Astoria, and she was 25 years old. Reports are not clear, but the two may have been a couple or at least on a date. The young woman died in the accident.
The wreck happened at four in the morning. While the firefighters were able to get the flames out eventually, it was too late for the woman.
The man had burn injuries to his extremities, and the police went to collect him at the medical center where he was being treated. He was then arrested. He’s facing charges for leaving the accident scene, negligent homicide, speeding and driving without a license.
According to police, the car was going west when the young man simply lost control. The vehicle plowed into a concrete barrier and then caught on fire.
The end of the accident was caught on camera. In the video, a man can be seen walking up to a taxi and asking if he can have a ride. The driver agrees, the man climbs into the car and it leaves.
Any death in a car accident is tragic, but stunning stories like this underscore why the family can be left searching for answers. It’s important for family members to make sure they know all of their legal options.
Source: New York Post, “Driver in fiery crash hailed cab as woman died in burning car,” Laura Italiano, Oct. 14, 2017
