Expert Witness Blog
Accident investigation expert witness Travis Webster testified in the case against 19 year old James Crosby in the death of Kathy Lattimore, 67, and Derek Nichols, 20. Crosby was found guilty of manslaughter in the December 31, 2013 Newfield, NY, crash. Webster, a New York state investigator, calculated that Crosby was driving over 84 mph when he hit the victims vehicle. Crosby was found guilty of manslaughter as well as second-degree assault, third-degree assault and reckless driving in the fatal crash.
The prosecution described Crosby’s driving as reckless while defense attorney Joseph Joch said freezing temperatures may have caused icy conditions when Crosby’s car crossed into the opposing lane. Eye witnesses testified that they saw Crosby passing other cars at high speeds on windy roads that night.
Accident investigation experts take into consideration collision analysis, collision speeds, skidmark analysis, and speed determinations, as well as related issues.