26 People Injured In Staten Island Car Accident With Stolen Delivery Truck
STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK (February 21, 2024) – At least 26 people were injured in a Staten Island collision that involved more than a dozen vehicles.
New York City police officials are saying that the collision took place around 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Authorities first spotted a stolen delivery truck by Bishop Street and Cranford Avenue.
Police initiated a chase and continued to follow the stolen truck for a while. The truck eventually came to a stop after it was involved in collisions with more than a dozen vehicles.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victims. A total of 26 people were taken to the hospital in order to receive treatment.
Liability For Staten Island Car Accidents
A large number of car accidents involve police chases. According to USA Today, “Nearly every day, someone is killed during a high-speed chase between police and a suspect. Almost half of the 11,500 people killed since 1979 have been bystanders or passengers in fleeing cars.” Police officers are supposed to initiate pursuits under a limited set of circumstances.
- Officers should use pursuits to capture a suspect who committed a violent felony.
- Officers should use pursuits to protect the public from an imminent danger.
- Officers should terminate pursuits when the risk to the public is too great.
Depending on the facts of any case, a police department could be liable for an accident that occurred during a police pursuit. In particular, liability may occur when officers display a reckless disregard for the safety of the public. This could include instances when officers chased suspects through densely populated pedestrian areas. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any car accident.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- An experienced personal injury attorney should be contacted.
Police chases are supposed to only be used as a measure of last resort. But far too often they are used to pursue suspects who committed minor crimes. In many situations, suspects can be identified and safely captured later on without needing to initiate a pursuit. Any person that is injured in a car accident may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.
Investigating New York Car Accidents
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to all of the people injured in this collision. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to authorities. This was a preventable crash that should not have taken place.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a car accident during a police pursuit? We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
