Readers in Poughkeepsie may be interested in the recent DWI charges filed against a Long Island man. The man reportedly drove into a home in his neighborhood on Aug. 13. Though nobody was injured, significant damage was done to the property. In addition to the couple who owns the property, two children and a family friend were asleep in the home at the time of the crash.
The homeowners dealt with a similar accident three years ago; the driver that time fled the scene and was never caught. It is possible that defense attorneys will make note of the home’s location at trial. If this type of accident has occurred before, the home’s proximity to the road may be a factor in the collision. The man who owns the home told reporters that he was considering moving in the wake of this second incident.
After this most recent crash, the driver fled on foot. Police traced the car’s license plate to a nearby home, where they arrested a 30-year-old man who was wearing pajamas and said he had been asleep.
It will be up to a prosecutor to prove this man was actually the driver. The homeowner might have seen the driver well enough to identify him, but a defense attorney could challenge the identification if the lighting was poor.
The alleged driver was already wanted on a charge of driving without a license. He now faces new charges associated with this incident. In addition to the criminal case, he could be sued for compensation for the damage he allegedly caused to the home.
Source: NBC New York, “Accused Drunk Driver Plows into Long Island Home, Barely Missing Sleeping Homeowners,” Greg Cergol, Aug. 13, 2012
