A man faces charges for a hit-and-run collision in August that killed one person; the 55-year-old driver was arraigned at District Court on Sept. 15. The man faces a felony count of leaving the scene of an accident with death resulting.

The crash in Wanskuck occurred on Aug. 31 when a Dodge Caravan struck a man in a parking lot at 331 Douglas Avenue. The 54-year-old pedestrian was a local welder who suffered injuries after being caught in the vehicle's undercarriage. Authorities reported that the Dodge dragged the man to Pumgansett Avenue, which is about 25 yards away from Douglas. The welder died at Rhode Island Hospital on Sept. 11 after receiving severe back and head injuries.

The Dodge fled the scene, but the driver was recognized and identified by his ex-girlfriend. The Providence man was apparently attempting to remove an air conditioner from a nearby residence. Several days after the wreck, the man turned himself in. He was released on $5,000 surety bail after his arraignment.

When a car accident similar to this one occurs, the family of a victim may face costly expenses for medical care and funeral arrangements. Those who lose a loved one may be able to recover incurred damages by taking civil action and filing a wrongful death claim. A claim could be settled by an insurance company or might go to trial.

If a wrongful death suit goes to court, a preponderance of the evidence must show that a defendant's negligent actions resulted in the death of another person. Evidence may be gained from a police investigation or from an accident reconstruction, and evidence used in criminal court could also be helpful in civil court.

Source: Providence Journal , "Providence man arraigned in crash that dragged, killed local welder", Amanda Milkovits, September 15, 2014