A driver who fails to stop after hitting a pedestrian may face serious charges. If the driver is found to have been negligent or reckless and the pedestrian dies as the result of fatal injuries suffered in such an accident, charges will be escalated. An Allentown man is facing multiple charges after allegedly causing the death of a pedestrian in a hit-and-run accident in Hanover Township. The tragic auto accident happened on a recent Sunday evening.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police, the dead woman was one of two pedestrians walking south on the shoulder of Airport Road. A driver who was northbound on the same road allegedly struck the two women and continued driving. After a trooper spotted his parked vehicle on another road a short while later, the driver reportedly approached police and admitted to driving after having some drinks but denied hitting anybody.
Authorities suspect that the hit-and-run driver was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the accident because the force with which the 62-year-old pedestrian was struck was enough to sever her body. The 33-year-old driver was arrested the next morning, and, although a part of the victim’s severed body was found in the suspect’s car, he asserted that he did not hit a pedestrian. The man was charged with felony and misdemeanor charges for causing an accident that led to death or severe bodily injuries.
Pennsylvania State Police say the accident was under investigation at the time of the media report. If it is determined that reckless driving caused the pedestrian’s death, the charges against this Allentown man may be escalated to vehicular homicide. Regardless of the outcome of a criminal case against an alleged hit-and-run driver, surviving family members who lost a loved one in such an auto accident may pursue a wrongful death claim in a civil court. Successful presentation of such a claim may yield compensation for end-of-life expenses and other documented losses brought about by a tragic accident.
Source: lehighvalleylive.com, “Allentown man accused of grisly hit-and-run may face more serious charges, lawyers say“, Precious Petty, March 17, 2015