Around 4 a.m. in November 2012, a 61-year-old man was in a parking lot at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. At the same time, a driver for Academy Bus Lines was preparing for his day of transporting passengers between various parking lots and airport terminals. On his way through one parking lot, the bus driver reportedly struck and ran over the victim.
The bus driver allegedly exited the bus and checked the man for vital signs before driving away from the scene. He contacted authorities and reported seeing a man lying on the ground. The man succumbed to his injuries and died. An investigation followed, and the bus driver was arrested and detained. In court, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 364 days in prison. Following his prison time, he must complete 150 hours of community service and three years of probation. The sentence was part of a plea agreement in which the defendant pleaded to guilty to leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
The victim’s wife plans to file a lawsuit against the bus driver, the Port Authority that owns the airport and other individuals. Reports did not indicate what events or circumstances transpired that may have led to the fatal accident. For example, after a thorough investigation and recreation of the situation, an attorney may determine that poor lighting was a factor. Additionally, the commercial vehicle driver may have been distracted or suffering from fatigue. An attorney may be helpful in shedding light on these circumstances and the at-fault parties.
If the wife is successful in her pursuit of a wrongful death suit, she may receive compensation for the loss of future income as well as any medical and funeral expenses. The court may also award her for pain and suffering and the loss of the companionship of her spouse.
Source: NJ.com , “Bus driver gets 364 days in jail for leaving scene of fatal crash at Newark airport“, Bill Wichert, September 09, 2014