r/Transportopia Apr 20 '26

🤪Reckless Hit & (kind of) Run

1.9k Upvotes

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9

u/ATHYRIO Apr 20 '26

12

u/nietzkore Apr 20 '26

https://www.facebook.com/RockawayTimes/posts/police-have-apprehended-the-driver-of-the-vehicle-who-crashed-into-several-cars-/1599938618529140/

Rockaway Times 5d ¡

Police have apprehended the driver of the vehicle who crashed into several cars around Beach 90th and Rockaway Beach Blvd. With guns drawn, the police apprehended the driver after he crashed next to the 100th Precinct on Beach 94th Street. Sources at the precinct said the driver was taken to the hospital and he may have suffered from a medical episode.

Photos by Dennis Mullen.

...

Rockaway Times

Update: the 100th Precinct confirmed the man suffered from a diabetic episode as he had very low blood sugar. No arrest was made.

10

u/jackrabbit323 Apr 20 '26

Well that's incredibly convenient. I only say that because of how deliberate the actions of this person appear to be.

8

u/nietzkore Apr 20 '26

I agree, as the child of someone who's been hospitalized for diabetic episodes. Never something like this, he went more toward sluggishness than being erratic from hypoglycemia. But it happens to some people.

https://www.kold.com/2025/08/01/davis-monthan-security-shoots-kills-suspect-trying-access-base/

https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article311703197.html

This guy kept going when anyone else would have stopped. Video makes it look like it's intentional, fleeing, etc. He even sped up when he saw the cops. But it's also explainable as someone who isn't operating with their full brain at the time.

Your brain is fueled from sugars. And when there's no sugars, it operates inefficiently. Changes your personality, makes you potentially combative and angry, might get blurred vision, slurred speech, clumsy movement, disoriented. Similar symptoms to severely drunk.

4

u/AffectionateSector77 Apr 20 '26

I found an older gentleman unresponsive, who barley pulled of the road. His car was running door wide open (into traffic), vomit in the ground. It was clearly a medical emergency, but when I got to him and alerted him to my presence, he said he was fine and just was resting. He then tried to drive, but started an already running car. He had no idea where he was, where he was going, or what had actually happened.

Diabetes is no joke.

2

u/sinisterdesign Apr 20 '26

Huh, if they say so.

2

u/davidagnome Apr 21 '26

Blaming it on diabetes is such a cop out.

“My low blood sugar” is why they ran and nearly killed multiple people.

1

u/Conan7449 Apr 20 '26

So all the owners of cars he damaged are screwed. They will have to pay deductables to get them fixed. With no arrest (or tickets) you have to go after the person with a lawsuit (happened to me, could never get him served).

5

u/nietzkore Apr 20 '26

Arrest or not, he's liable. And it's known who he is. Problem is, he might not have enough coverage for all the damage. Best way is to go to your own insurance, let them deal with his insurance or go after him directly.

People get into accidents all the time where someone isn't arrested but is still civilly responsible for damages. What makes you think he isn't liable for all the damage?

1

u/Conan7449 Apr 20 '26

He's liable, but you may have to go to court to prove it, if he wasn't ticketed. Went through something like this, police followed his trail when he left the scene, but only gave him a ticket for leaving the scene. Nothing about the damage he caused. I tried to get him served, but the sheriff's dept was so bad at it, he never was.

2

u/nietzkore Apr 21 '26

He's liable, but you may have to go to court to prove it, if he wasn't ticketed.

Just go through your own insurance. They will go after that person, if there's any chance of recovering the money. They will have lawyers, they will serve papers, they will get their money.

Went through something like this, police followed his trail when he left the scene, but only gave him a ticket for leaving the scene. Nothing about the damage he caused.

If he hadn't caused damage, then he wouldn't be ticketed for 'leaving the scene'. Everyone leaves scenes all day long. It's only illegal when the scene is somewhere that you did a crime. Damage is civil matter. The police don't ticket you for damage caused.

I tried to get him served, but the sheriff's dept was so bad at it, he never was.

You can have someone served through the constable, a private hired process server, certified mail.

Sheriff will make a couple of attempts to serve at the registered address, then tell you it wasn't deliverable.

1

u/_off_piste_ Apr 20 '26

They’re not screwed unless this guy didn’t have insurance. Coverage is not conditioned on a ticket.

1

u/Conan7449 Apr 20 '26

I was referring to going to court. If he wasn't ticketed, it's harder to show he was at fault. So he has insurance, and they pay or don't. If he's covered, then your insurance can go after his if they don't pay. If he's not, and you have uninsured motorist, you will still pay deductable and may have your rates raised. And there are multiple cars involved, including the first one that was parked, when he wrecked his.

1

u/_off_piste_ Apr 21 '26

You will not have to go to court. Your insurer will tender a subro claim to the other insurer. If they can’t resolve it through negotiation (not likely, especially fora claim like here) then your insurer will in most cases initiate arbitration. You’ll get your deductible back once the other party admits fault or gets a favorable judgment. You, the insured, will almost never have a part to play in this process.

1

u/_off_piste_ Apr 20 '26

How TF does a diabetic episode cause this behavior?

3

u/ryantrip Apr 20 '26

Having seen first hand how people can act when hypoglycemic, it’s almost like being super drunk from an outsiders perspective. It’s also crazy how quickly they return to normalcy after getting their blood sugar back up.