A New York City firefighter was killed and a New Jersey man was charged with drunk driving after his car struck the firefighter’s motorcycle. The accident occurred in Union Township, New Jersey, at 5 a.m. when the 56-year-old man was on his way to work. According to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the firefighter was pronounced dead at the scene when he was thrown from his 2004 Suzuki after being struck by a 1996 Honda Accord as he was making a turn.
According to an FDNY spokesman, the accident victim was wearing a reflective vest over his uniform and may have been driving from a vacation home in Pennsylvania to his job in Staten Island at the time of the crash. He had been cited several times over the years for bravery, including life-saving medical efforts and work at the Work Trade Center after the 2001 terror attacks.
According to the office of acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park, the 24-year-old driver of the car was taken into custody and charged with driving while intoxicated, vehicular homicide and other offenses pertaining to the accident. He may face an aggravated DWI conviction. His bail was set at $100,000, and an investigation is ongoing.
Penalties for driving while intoxicated in New York can be harsh, and those facing charges may feel apprehensive regarding what lies ahead. A criminal defense attorney may help by evaluating the case. A lawyer might review information from authorities as well as obtain the results of field sobriety or blood tests. Sometimes there are errors in test results that do not accurately reflect the events that occurred. If the lawyer finds any discrepancies, he may negotiate with the prosecution in an attempt to arrive at a favorable outcome.
Source: NJ.com, “Elizabeth man charged in drunk-driving crash that killed New York firefighter“, October 11, 2013
