Articles Posted in Auto Accidents
NYPD Sergeant Charged With Aggravated Vehicular Homicide After Alleged Wrong-Way DWI Crash on the Taconic State Parkway
A fatal wrong-way crash on the Taconic State Parkway in Mount Pleasant has led to the arrest of an off-duty NYPD sergeant on aggravated vehicular homicide charges. According to published reports, Sgt. Tiffany Howell was allegedly driving south in the northbound lanes at approximately 11:40 p.m. when her 2021 Infiniti struck a 2024 Toyota operated by 61-year-old Manuel Boitel.
Investigators determined that Howell’s blood alcohol content was allegedly .26 — more than three times New York’s legal limit of .08. She was arraigned in Westchester Supreme Court and released on $500,000 bond.
Boitel, who was returning home from work as a Manhattan doorman, was transported to Westchester Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased.
West Village Wrong-Way Fatality: Criminal Arrest and the Civil Remedies Available to the Family
A Manhattan grand jury has indicted a wrong-way driver on charges of criminally negligent homicide and reckless driving following a fatal pedestrian collision at Morton Street and Seventh Avenue South in the West Village.
A criminal prosecution addresses violations of the Penal Law. It does not compensate the victim’s family. The criminal case and any civil action proceed independently and serve different purposes. For families facing this type of loss, the central legal issue becomes what civil remedies are available under New York law.
1. Wrongful Death Action
Potential Municipal Liability in Fatal Car and Truck Crash on the Long Island Expressway Involving Alleged Improper Snow Removal
A fatal early-morning car and truck collision on the Long Island Expressway in Queens is raising significant legal questions regarding potential municipal liability tied to alleged improper snow removal operations. on the Long Island Expressway in Queens is now raising serious legal questions regarding potential municipal liability for alleged improper snow removal operations.
According to published reports, 50-year-old livery driver Carlos Asitimbay lost control of his vehicle around 4:30 a.m. on February 6 while traveling westbound on the Long Island Expressway near the Van Wyck Expressway. Sources indicate that less than two hours earlier, a sanitation vehicle may have pushed snow and ice from the shoulder into an active traffic lane, a practice prohibited on highways due to higher travel speeds and increased risk of loss-of-control crashes.
After striking the median and coming to rest perpendicular to traffic, Asitimbay’s vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer. He was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Queens, where he later died from catastrophic injuries.
2025 Year in Review: Landmark Verdicts and Settlements by Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf
The 2025 Year in Review documents another extraordinary year for the NYC personal injury law firm of Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, marked by record-setting verdicts, precedent-shaping settlements, and litigation that advanced safety and accountability across New York.
Throughout 2025, the firm secured results in cases involving catastrophic injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, construction accidents, transportation disasters, premises liability, and sexual abuse, many of which rank among the most significant outcomes in New York State history.Record-Setting and Notable 2025 Results
Toddler Fatally Struck by BMW Driver in Queens Parking Garage Raises Serious Legal Questions
A fatal incident inside a Queens apartment building parking garage has placed renewed focus on driver responsibility, property safety, and the legal rights of families after preventable tragedies. According to published reports, a 1-year-old child was struck by a BMW inside a parking garage next to the family’s apartment building in Rego Park, Queens. The child was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he later died from his injuries. The driver remained at the scene, and authorities continue to investigate.
From a legal perspective, crashes involving children in parking garages are among the most serious motor-vehicle cases handled by our Queens car accident lawyers. These incidents often involve complex questions of negligence, visibility, speed, vehicle design, and whether the garage itself was reasonably safe for pedestrians.
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