The family of a man killed in a fatal accident in Trenton, New Jersey intends to file a wrongful death lawsuit against multiple parties they feel were responsible for his death. Among those defendants are two drivers who both struck the man shortly after he exited a city bus, and did not stop to call emergency crews or administer care.

On Oct. 28, the 54-year-old man was dropped off at a Parkside Avenue bus stop, near Ives Avenue during nighttime hours. An investigation has led police to believe that a 19-year-old female driver initially hit the man before she continued driving on. Five days after the accident, the college sophomore turned herself into authorities. She was charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident involving death and death by auto.

Additional charges or litigation could potentially be on the way as the early stages of police investigation reveal that the 19-year-old student may have been driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. A lawyer for the plaintiffs claimed the student was driving home from a party where underage drinking occurred. That same lawyer said she intended to sue the parties responsible for underage drinking if that was the case.

But, that student was not the only one to allegedly commit hit-and-run that night. A 52-year-old Ewing woman garnered the same charges after she also hit the man and continued driving. She, however, did not turn herself in. Rather, police had to track her down and arrest her.

The family of the victim is also targeting the New Jersey Transit, claiming the bus stop was unsafe; pointing to the fact the stop was both located on a busy road and was poorly lit. The New Jersey Transit did not offer a response to those claims.

Source: The Times of Trenton, "Family of man killed in hit-and-run in Ewing files wrongful death suit," Lisa Coryell, Feb. 8, 2012