A pedestrian died at the scene of a hit-and-run collision in Alexandria, Virginia (VA), on the morning of September 3, 2015. The fatal crash occurred at the intersection of Braddock Road and Commonwealth Avenue, and police were able to identify and impound the construction truck believed to have been involved. The suspected at-fault driver had not been apprehended by the end of the day.
Investigators have not been able to determine the cause of the deadly pedestrian crash, and they have refrained from announcing any intention to file charges. Questioning the truck driver will be necessary to recreate the accident as precisely as possible.
The four-way intersection where the pedestrian lost her life is marked with crosswalks and controlled by stop lights. That configuration makes it possible that the woman who lost her life had undeniable right of way by crossing at a corner and with a green light. That scenario would make the person behind the wheel of the construction vehicle liable for any criminal infractions, moving violations and wrongful death insurance claims.
Even if the truck driver was temporarily distracted, blinded by sunlight or experiencing a medical emergency, he or she could still be held responsible for hitting and fatally injuring a person who was legally crossing the street. That liability would be even more clearcut if the driver was speeding, running a red light or turning without yielding right of way.
However the facts of this tragedy emerge, my fellow Virginia wrongful death attorneys and I send our deepest condolences out to the friends and family members of the deceased victim.
EJL