A 27-year-old New Haven man was taken into custody by police on June 29, within a few short hours of having allegedly caused a fatal hit-and-run motorcycle accident.
The incident occurred at New Haven intersection of Ellsworth and Whalley Avenues. Footage from a motorist’s dash cam revealed that the motorcyclist had been riding his bike eastbound along Whalley as a Nissan Maxima approached.
Video then showed the driver of the Maxima attempting to make a left turn to continue onto Whalley. While the actual point of impact cannot be seen on the video, it does show the Nissan’s driver leaving the crash scene.
An alert motorist who saw the crash occur followed the Nissan’s driver for a while until they reached Argonne Street. The driver the apparently waived the Maxima’s operator down and told him that he saw what had occurred.
As the motorist attempted to call police with the Nissan’s driver right in front of him, he reportedly ran into an apartment building nearby. Two residents of that complex confirmed that they too had seen the man run into one of the units as well.
While this was occurring, emergency responders had arrived at the crash scene. There, they found the 37-year-old motorcyclists severely injured. It was clear that he’d been struck by a car. He was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital where life-saving measures were taken to keep him alive. He died shortly after his arrival there, though.
Police located the man and placed him under arrest. He was later booked into jail where he’s been charged with making an improper turn and driving under the influence and without a license. He also faces vehicular homicide and evading responsibility charges.
It’s unclear whether he’s been released on bond or when the next hearing in the case is scheduled for.
While motorcycles are notorious for being unsafe to ride, there’s little any motorist can do to protect themselves from a reckless, intoxicated or inexperienced driver when they get behind the wheel. While no amount of money can replace your loved one, having a strong New Haven motor vehicle accidents attorney on your side can ensure that your interests are protected.
