A six-vehicle collision on the Southern State Parkway in March killed two people and sent several others to the hospital. The driver accused of causing it faces homicide and DWI charges. For the injured and for the families left behind, the criminal case is only one part of what comes next.
What Happened Near Exit 17S
CBS News New York reported that the crash happened around 10:15 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, in the Town of Hempstead near Exit 17S. Ten people in six vehicles were involved. The eastbound lanes stayed closed until early the next morning.
Donald Maxwell, 82, and Liscent B. Maxwell, 88, were passengers in a Toyota Highlander. Both died at the scene. Several other drivers and passengers were hospitalized, one with life-threatening injuries.
What Investigators Found
According to the state police press release, a westbound Cadillac Escalade sideswiped a BMW, then crossed the center median into oncoming traffic. It struck several eastbound vehicles before hitting the Highlander head-on. Police identified speed and impairment as contributing factors.
The 36-year-old Oceanside driver was arrested and charged with:
- Aggravated vehicular homicide
- First- and second-degree vehicular manslaughter
- Second-degree assault
- Driving while intoxicated
- Reckless driving
These are charges, not convictions. The criminal case will move on its own timeline.
Civil Claims Are Separate From the Criminal Case
A prosecution punishes. It does not compensate the people who were hurt. Survivors and grieving families pursue that through a separate civil claim, and they don’t have to wait for a verdict to begin.
Injured Drivers and Passengers
New York’s no-fault system pays initial medical bills and a portion of lost wages. To recover for pain and suffering from an at-fault driver, an injured person must meet the “serious injury” standard in Insurance Law Section 5102. Fractures and significant physical limitations are among the qualifying categories, and injuries from high-speed or head-on impacts often meet it.
Families Who Lost a Loved One
The personal representative of an estate may file a wrongful death action on the family’s behalf. Under EPTL Section 5-4.1, that claim generally must be commenced within two years of the death.
Why Early Legal Guidance Helps
Multi-vehicle crashes often involve several insurance policies, and one driver’s coverage may not stretch across every claim. A victim’s own underinsured motorist coverage can become an important source of recovery. Evidence from the criminal investigation, including toxicology results and crash reconstruction, may also support the civil case.
A Hempstead, NY car accident lawyer can track that evidence, coordinate claims across insurers, and identify every available policy.
Talk With Our Team
Crashes like this one leave families with difficult decisions and very little time to make them.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a collision on the Southern State Parkway or anywhere in Nassau County, Rosenberg & Rodriguez Personal Injury Lawyers can review what happened and explain your options. Contact our office to speak with a Hempstead car accident lawyer about your claim.
