According to the New York Post, a man stole a box truck and crashed it into a city bus in New York City on February 12, killing its driver.
The man who allegedly initiated the crash, Dominic Whilby, 23, is reportedly the nephew of model Tyson Beckford, and was seen drinking in the hours leading up to the crash during a Fashion Week party with his uncle.
The Post reported that Whilby was escorted out of one nightclub at around 3:30 a.m., just hours before the bus crash, which occurred at 5:45 a.m. He was reportedly bothering other customers and acting inappropriately.
The paper reported that Whilby then passed out in a hotel lobby, where he was subsequently kicked out. He then went to a building on West 16th Street and started knocking on doors and waking people up.
After a short period, Whilby allegedly stumbled onto an 18 Rabbits granola delivery truck that was parked with its keys inside, and started to drive it. He crashed into several cars near the intersection of Seventh Avenue and West 14th Street, where he ran a red light and struck the crosstown bus driven by William Pena, 50, a 17-year veteran of MTA.
The collision caused the bus to jump a sidewalk and crash into building scaffolding, and Pena was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Four people suffered minor injuries in the crash, including a scooter driver, a food cart vendor and customer, and a passenger on Pena’s bus, according to the Times.
Whilby was arrested and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He was also given a blood test. An investigation into the crash is ongoing and charges are pending.
Where Can I Find a Rockland County DUI Accident Attorney?
It is tragic that someone died and people were injured because of this accident. Driving while under the influence of alcohol can cause serious harm not only to yourself, but to others. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), there were 344 DUI vehicle accident fatalities in New York in 2012. This was a 4.9 percent increase from 2011.
KGG lawyer Barry S. Kantrowitz assists victims and family members of drunk drivers. Contact us toll free at (800) 711-5258 to schedule a free initial consultation or complete the form on this page to let our skilled attorneys review your case.
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Kantrowitz, Goldhamer & Graifman, P.C. – Rockland County Injury Lawyers
KGG’s Corner: According to MADD, drunk driving fatalities cost New York tax payers $2.4 billion in subsidies each year.
Source: http://nypost.com/2014/02/12/numerous-injuries-after-west-village-bus-collision/