Speed may have been a factor in fatal Plymouth crash
Four 19-year-olds were riding in a 1998 Ford Explorer1998 Ford Explorer. All four were from Plymouth. All four were injured in a car accident, although just one succumbed to his injuries.
Many questions arise. What caused the single-car accident? Was alcohol involved? Were the four young men high school friends? How did they driver lose control of the Ford Explorer? The accident occurred at about 9:00 on a Monday evening and by 4:15 the next morning, one of the four died.
According to news reports, the Ford Explorer was traveling on Elm Street in Kingston. A Google map shows that there is a very slight curve in the road at the point of the accident, which appears to be in a residential neighborhood. Based on an observation of the road’s terrain, there isn’t much which would cause a car to go off the road other than to perhaps avoid a stray animal.
The police believe that speed was a factor in the single-car accident. The car left its lane and struck a power pole which snapped in half and caused the Ford to become airborne and land on its side. When the police arrived at the scene of the accident, the driver was outside the car walking around and the three passengers were still in the car.
The 19-year-old who died was a passenger. He was described as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, a 2011 Plymouth North graduate and the son of a Plymouth Fire Department lieutenant. All four young men who were in the Explorer were taken to area hospitals after the crash.
Although the young men in the car may be able to provide a description of the crash when they recover, the local accident reconstruction team is attempting to determine the cause of the accident.
When someone is injured in a car accident due to the negligence or error of another driver, those injured can seek compensation for their personal injuries. In this case, the family of the 19-year-old who died can pursue wrongful death litigation against the driver of the Ford Explorer, if they choose to do so.
Source: Wicked Local Plymouth, “UPDATE: Kingston accident claims life of 19-year-old Plymouth man,” Kathryn Gallerani, Aug. 21, 2012
