Short summary: An on-duty NYPD officer was struck by an SUV in Hunts Point and the driver sped away. U.S. Marshals arrested a 31-year-old suspect less than two days later. An arrest settles who was driving. It does not settle who pays. Anyone hurt by a driver who flees generally has more than one door to knock on, and the order matters.
What happened
Around 7:20 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, officers answered a loud music complaint near Garrison Avenue and Whittier Street in Hunts Point, the Bronx. Police said they found a large crowd. A man driving a white Honda SUV allegedly hit one of the officers and sped off, as reported by News 12 Bronx and ABC7 New York.
The officer suffered significant leg injuries and was taken to Lincoln Hospital. The U.S. Marshals Service and the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force joined the search. A 31-year-old man was taken into custody in the Bronx early Monday, October 19. Charges had not been released at the time of the report.
An arrest is a criminal case. The injury claim runs on its own track
The criminal case belongs to the prosecutor. It decides guilt and punishment. It does not pay medical bills or lost wages. The injured person's money claim is a separate civil matter, with its own deadlines and its own proof.
A conviction can help that civil claim later, because it can make fault easier to show. But nobody should wait for a verdict to start. No-fault paperwork in New York is generally due within 30 days of the crash, and that clock does not pause for a criminal trial. Our explainer on the 30-day no-fault deadline covers how it works.
When a driver hits someone on purpose, insurance gets complicated
Police have not said whether this was deliberate. But it is worth knowing how that question changes things. Auto liability policies generally exclude intentional acts. If an insurer argues a driver meant to hit someone, it may try to deny the liability claim.
That does not leave the injured person with nothing. Depending on the facts, a person's own uninsured or supplementary underinsured motorist coverage, or a claim through MVAIC, can generally come into play. Our guide to hit-and-run and uninsured driver claims walks through those options.
Hurt on the job by a driver
Officers, delivery workers, crossing guards and road crews all get hit while working. A work injury caused by a stranger's car generally opens two paths: benefits through the job, and a separate claim against the driver who caused it. One does not cancel the other. The road crew crash we covered shows how that third-party claim works.
Questions New Yorkers ask us
If the hit-and-run driver gets caught, do I still need MVAIC?
Generally no, as long as the driver is identified and has insurance. The claim then runs against that driver's policy. MVAIC is generally for cases where the driver is never found or has no coverage.
Can I make a claim against a driver if I was hurt while working?
Generally yes. Work benefits and a claim against an at-fault driver can usually exist side by side, though one may affect how much the other pays.
Not sure where you stand after a crash? Get your free case review or call (888) 208-0529. A real person answers, 24/7.
Reporting: News 12 Bronx, ABC7 New York.
