Driving Under the Influence

Fatal Vehicular Accident Reported in Lynbrook

A Lynbrook, NY man speeding on Sunrise Highway careened his car into another vehicle causing the death of a Lynbrook  man and his passenger, while allegedly high on drugs. John A. Aniano, 25, was operating his 2004 Mercedes Benz west on Sunrise Highway at a high rate of speed when he struck a 2005 Toyota in the rear driven by John Jones, 54 of Lynbrook and his front passenger Sharon Rene Long, 53 of Lynbrook.

The 2005 Toyota was redirected to the east bound lanes when it then struck a 2007 Toyota on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The defendant’s vehicle continued west and eventually came to rest in the vicinity east of Atlantic Avenue.

Lynbrook Fatal Accident on 1/12/15 Sunrise Hway and Forest Ave

The 25 year old, Aniano, was said to allegedly be under the influence of drugs, as Homicide Squad detectives stated.

Those drugs included marijuana. Also, two prescription bottles were found in his vehicle. Aniano was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter, two counts of second degree vehicular manslaughter and driving while ability impaired.

A  witness who saw the accident described the car going at least 100mph when the car he hit was decimated.

Paul  Ajlouny, New York car accident attorney, weighs in on this tragic accident,  “This is a devastating accident, with a senseless loss of life. Our condolences go out to the family who lost two of their loved ones. This is also a sad reminder to anyone that chooses to get behind the wheel while under the influence. Nothing good comes from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.” Says Mr. Ajlouny.

If a driver is under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana, the risk of a fatal crash is high. Currently, one of nine drivers involved in fatal crashes would test positive for marijuana,” Dr. Guohua Li, director of the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention at Columbia, and co-author of the study told HealthDay News.

How high does someone have to be before he can be convicted of a DUI?

Should medical marijuana be legal in New York?

There has been a debate, more so recently, whether medical marijuana should be legal in New York. People even as Nancy Grace have been debating the issue of “weed” against the rapper known as 2 Chainz.

During the debate, a video is shown where someone forced their 2 year old to smoke weed. 2 Chainz thinks that the person had a crack problem, yet on the other hand,

Nancy Grace debates that the reason this person is doing something so horrible, is because they are high on marijuana. Nancy Grace states that people who are high on pot, in this video, is putting his children at danger and making unfounded decisions when high on pot. 2

Is it OK to smoke before driving?

Chainz on the other hand compares the legalization of alcohol to the legalization of marijuana. Nancy Grace could argue that driving under the influence of alcohol has serious, deadly affects. Therefore, the effect that alcohol can have when one is driving is the same effect that marijuana could have when one is driving under the influence.

If one is pulled over, and believed to be drinking under the influence, the police will ask that person to complete various tasks. If you are able to complete these various tasks, then there is a good chance that the person is not drunk. There various tasks are known as the “standard field sobriety test.” Yet, “it is no where as good as spotting a stoned driver.” I

In 2012, a study that was published, stated that only 30 percent of people under the influence of THC failed the field test. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana. “It’s ability to identify a stoned driver seems to depend heavily on whether the driver is accustomed to being stoned.”

Another study was conducted where 50 percent of the less frequent smokers failed the field test. A major problem is that a lot of people, asked over phone surveys, don think that D.U.I laws apply to marijuana.

Yet, evidence shows that that is not the case, and that one does not “drive better while high.” Marijuana use does causes deficits that affect driving ability.

In a state, such as Colorado, there were deaths that were directly linked to pot. A 47 year old man ate marijuana infused candy and then fatally shot his wife.

Also, a 19 year old student had ingested a marijuana cookie and then jumped to his death. The way that someone reacts to marijuana depends on ones size, what they have eaten and the medications they take.

For some people, one hit from a pipe or bong could leave them feeling as if they have had five drinks. Researches at Columbia University state, “Marijuana use doubles the risk of being in a car accident if you drive soon after smoking it, and it causes more car accidents than any other illicit drugs.” The researchers found that it contributed to 12% of traffic deaths in the U.S. in 2010.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death of 18- to 25-year-olds in the U.S., and driving under the influence is a major cause of accidents. Not every state conducts routine toxicology

In a 2012 study in the journal Addiction found that 57.3 percent of the drivers in this age group who died were on some kind of mind-altering substance, usually alcohol. [The History of 8 Hallucinogens]

Just please remember before you get behind the wheel, don’t drive and drive, don’t text and drive, and don’t smoke and drive. We all have to work together to keep our streets safe, and smoking marijuana and getting behind the wheel is just as dangerous and drinking and driving.

Chelsea Horowitz (Ajlouny Injury Law. )

[1] http://www.longislandpress.com/2015/01/13/lynbrook-man-high-on-drugs-in-crash-that-killed-2-cops-say/
[1] http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/01/nancy-grace-2-chainz-debate.html
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/18/health/driving-under-the-influence-of-marijuana.html?_r=1
[1] Id.
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/18/health/driving-under-the-influence-of-marijuana.html?_r=1
[1] http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-shapiro-marijuana-danger-20150104-story.html
[1] Id.
[1] http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-shapiro-marijuana-danger-20150104-story.html
[1] http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/01/13/half-teen-young-adult-car-crash-deaths-involve-pot-or-alcohol/

Long Island women killed waiting for tow truck

BREAKING NEWS OUT OF BAY SHORE, N.Y. Jessica Ortiz a 21 year old college student thought she was playing it safe by waiting for a tow truck in her car, but where she parked ended up making the difference between life and death.

Sadly, Ortiz’s life was cut short when she was killed in a tragic accident in Bay Shore, Long Island Wednesday afternoon while sitting in her parked car waiting, she thought safely, for a tow truck.

She was pulled over on the shoulder of the Sunrise Highway for a flat tire.

“As the tow truck operator began to assist her, the second vehicle swerved out of the lane of traffic onto the shoulder, hitting Ms. Ortiz’s vehicle and forcing that vehicle into the tow truck,” said Suffolk County police Detective Lt. Edward Reilly.

The 51-year-old man driving the Chevrolet Caprice that slammed into Ortiz’s vehicle was critically injured, but survived.

Ortiz was parked on the shoulder right before the mouth of an on-ramp. She had three busy lanes of the Sunrise Highway on her left, and the on-ramp and two service road lanes on her right.

She chose to stay in her car to wait for help to arrive.

Woman Was Waiting In Car For Tow Truck When She Was Struck, Killed On L.I.

New York Personal Injury Attorney, Paul Ajlouny,  suggests “even though every situation is different, the safest place to be is off the road.  In this devastating tragedy there was no predicting the fatal result.” Mr. Ajlouny goes on to explain, ” Each year, people are killed on the shoulder of interstates.   Approximately 12% of all interstate highway deaths are pedestrians in the roadway or on the shoulder.” continues Mr. Ajlouny.

“The safest thing, in my opinion, is to get out of your vehicle, and stay about  60 feet to the rear of the vehicle — off the shoulder guard rail — so that oncoming traffic can see you. According to reports, Ms. Ortiz was, literally stuck in the middle of lanes of traffic, she did the right thing staying in her car,  unfortunately no one could of ever imagined the tragedy that would take place due to driver distraction.” Mr. Ajlouny said.

Condolences go out to Ms. Ortiz’s family and friends.