Kevin Zhagui-Morocho Killed in Wallkill Truck Accident
The 18-year-old passenger died after the vehicle he was riding in rear-ended a truck
Kevin C. Zhagui-Morocho, 18, of Ossining, was killed in a two-vehicle collision on State Route 17 near Exit 120 in Wallkill, New York, on Aug. 31, according to the State Police.
The westbound 2019 Ford sedan moved from the left lane into the right lane and rear-ended a 2025 Mack truck that was merging from the right shoulder. The impact crushed the front of the passenger vehicle. Zhagui-Morocho, a passenger in the Ford, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the car, a 28-year-old Ossining man, was taken to Garnet Health Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The 50-year-old Pennsylvania man driving the truck was not hurt.
Troop F Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Collision Reconstruction units responded to the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
Police are asking witnesses to contact the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Middletown.
In accidents such as this, crash reconstructionists analyze electronic logging devices and vehicle black boxes to determine exact speeds and braking inputs leading up to the impact.
Candice Bond, managing partner at Bond Legal, said, "Every fatal crash leaves behind evidence capable of disappearing within days unless someone moves quickly enough to preserve everything, from skid marks and debris fields to surveillance footage sitting on a nearby business camera."
"Legal counsel typically races to lock down evidence early, before memories fade," added Bond, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News.
The investigation will determine if the truck driver followed proper merging protocols and if the passenger vehicle driver maintained a safe following distance and lane discipline.
According to a report by the New York State Comptroller, motor vehicle fatalities rose 25.8 percent from 2019 to 2022, reaching 1,175 deaths in 2022, the highest level since 2013.
New York wrongful death statute
Under N.Y. EPTL § 5-4.1, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. New York applies pure comparative fault. The statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of death.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of parental guidance, funeral expenses, and the decedent's conscious pain and suffering.
"Event data recorders inside modern cars provide valuable technical information regarding vehicle speed and braking right before impact. Extracting black box data before a vehicle is scrapped preserves vital operational history," said Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal.
Formica, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News, noted, "A legal team supports affected families by sending evidence preservation demands and using technical data during talks."