Kent man airlifted in Carmel crash; Hopewell Junction driver arrested
A Kent man was airlifted to the hospital after another vehicle illegally passed his car causing a rollover crash and then fled. The incident took place in Putnam County around 9:40 a.m. Wednesday, May 20, on Route 52 in Carmel, said Lt. John Dearman of the Carmel Police. Several witnesses reported that a black Cadillac passed vehicles in a no-passing zone southbound on Route 52 while attempting to pass a Honda Civic driven by Jacob Shikarides, 23, of Kent, the Cadillac, driven by Nicholas Signorelli, of Hopewell Junction, 55, slammed into the Honda, causing the vehicle to overturn at least seven times coming to rest at the gas pumps of a Sunoco gas station at the corner of Dykeman. Signorelli sped off and continued on Route 52. Our Westchester car accident attorneys know how serious a roll over accident can be that that reckless driving accounts for a h igh percentage of roll over accidents. Obviously in this case, the vehicle that tried to pass was not only failing to obey New York's Vehicle and Traffic laws, including the Rules of the Road, which prohibit passing another vehicle, unless there is a broken line, allowing passing. Where passing is expreslly prohibited violating the vehicle and traffic law by passing is prima facie proof of passing. Also Our White Plains car accident lawyers who handle serious injury car crash cases know that these cases ususally involve excessive speed, in which the passing motorist operates their vehicle faster than is reasonable under the circumstances, whcih is and of itself a violation of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Carmel Fire and ambulance responded to the scene of the crash and extricated the driver from his vehicle before he was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center with serious injuries, Dearman said. Police found Signorelli about an hour later and arrested.
He was charged with:
- Vehicular assault
- Reckless driving
- Leaving the scene of an accident.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be pending.
Under New York Law, a person is guity of vehicular assault in the second degree when they cause an injury because they operated a motor vehcile while their ability to do so was impaired by alcohol or drugs, or both. New York law imposes a more serious felony and harsher punishments when there are aggravating facotrs. For example a person is guilty of vehicular assault in the first degree when he or she commits the crime of vehicular assault in the second degree and they have a blood alcohol level of .18, which is double the legal limit or the driver's license to operate a motor vehicle has been suspended. Vehicular Assault is one of several New York State Penal Law felonies which were enacted in 1983. These felonies involve drivers who are either intoxicated or impaired by drugs who cause serious physical injuries to others in automobile accidents. If an operator of a motor vehicle causes serious physical injuries to others, the crime charged is Vehicular Assault, and if the operator of the motor vehicle causes the death of another person or person, he or she is charged with Vehicular Manslaughter.
In addition to a criminal prosecution, anyone who suffers a personal injury in a serious car crash can sue for compensation for their personal injuryies. Our drunk driving accident lawyers have represented numerous people who sustained serious injuries in crashes caused by drunk drivers. Our Westchester drunk driving accident lawyers aggressively handle these cases and usually sue the driver, the owner of the vehicle who let the drunk driver operate the vehicle and the bar, where the driver became intoxicated.
