Yahoo Autos Wrong-Way Driver Kills Groom Before Wedding
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A wrong-way driver, an off-duty cop giving chase, and a groom-to-be killed in a fiery wreck has caused quite the controversy in New York City. Now a bride is in mourning, authorities are on the hunt for a suspect, and an officer is under scrutiny.
Newlyweds in a Mustang lead police on a high-speed chase.
It all went down in the early morning hours of July 24 when an off-duty New York Police Department officer observed a Chevy Silverado driving the wrong way in Lower Manhattan. The pickup hit the cop’s vehicle and kept going, so he gave chase, reports the New York Post.
Eventually, the wrong-way driver collided head-on with a Dodge Challenger with groom-to-be Kirk Walker in the front passenger seat. The fiery crash killed Walker and his cousin, Rob McLaurin. The pair had been out on the town celebrating at Walker’s bachelor party.
Walker, who was 38, was the father of three children.
While the driver of the Chevy ran away on foot, the passenger stayed in the area and was taken into custody by police. That person apparently hasn’t given up the driver.
A second car, an Audi, was also hit by the Chevy Silverado. The people in that car were also transported to the hospital, reports CBS New York.
Now New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ office is looking into the events that fateful morning to see if the off-duty NYPD officer’s actions contributed to the fatal head-on collision. That investigation is being called a “preliminary assessment” and might not result in any action.
May Eric Adams has offered a $1,000 award from his own pocket for the capture of the Silverado driver. So far it appears nobody has stepped forward to claim that money.
Yet again we have a case of a horrific accident involving a member of law enforcement chasing a suspect and a question of whether or not it was justified. What’s unique about this case is the cop reportedly wasn’t in a marked patrol car but was instead in his personal vehicle, adding a different wrinkle we’re not used to seeing.
Image via G.N. Miller/NY Post
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