SHIRLEY, NY- According to abc7ny.com, a pedestrian was struck in Suffolk County on 2:30 in the morning on Sunday. The accident occurred in Shirly on William Floyd Parkway. The victim was crossing from the west to the east of the parkway when a southbound vehicle crashed into him and then drive away from the scene.* The […]
SHIRLEY, NY- According to abc7ny.com, a pedestrian was struck in Suffolk County on 2:30 in the morning on Sunday. The accident occurred in Shirly on William Floyd Parkway. The victim was crossing from the west to the east of the parkway when a southbound vehicle crashed into him and then drive away from the scene.*
The man was brought to Stony Brook University Hospital where is said to be in critical condition.
Police have not yet released the victim’s identity. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Suffolk County Detectives.
New York has recently taken steps to aid police officers in catching drivers who leave the scene of an accident. In December of 2017, legislators enacted a law that functions similarly to an AMBER Alert. Now people will be sent notices to their phones after a hit-and-run accident. The notice will include any available information about the car or the driver, such as the type of vehicle, or the license plate number.
There are nearly 40,000 hit-and-run accidents in New York every year, and on average every week there is one fatal hit-and-run. The drivers responsible often do not get caught.
These alerts will be released after serious hit-and-run accidents where the victims have suffered serious injuries or been killed. The alert system is named after DJ John Paul Guerrero who died from injuries resulting from a hit-and-run accident in Brooklyn. The driver responsible for hitting Guerrero was not apprehended until close to a year after the incident.
It will be up to the police to determine when the alert is necessary.
Drivers who leave the scene of a fatal accident can be convicted of a felony and face years in prison for their actions.
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