Wrong-Way Crash Leaves Victim Facing $450K In Medical Bills
ROCKAWAY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A wrong-way crash has turned Robert Evans' world upside down.
The 65-year-old Evans has been in the hospital since Jan. 8 after a mother suspected of being high on heroin drove the wrong way on Route 17 in Rutherford and hit him head-on, CBS2's Meg Baker reported.
"He basically had every bone in his body broken all the way from his chest, all the way down to his heels and ankles," said his neice Dana Taboadela.
There was complete destruction at the scene of the crash.
"Tremendous damage, just really bad injuries," said Rutherford police Chief John Russo. "It was an awful scene."
Police say they found five bags of heroin in 43-year-old Soscia Salo's car. Both drivers were trapped and had to be freed by the Rutherford Fire Department. Both remain at Hackensack University Medical Center.
So far, Evans has gone through three surgeries. The bills are over $450,000.
"The way it works in New Jersey is it goes first to your medical PIP, and when that's exhausted, they go to the other driver," Taboadela explained. "The other driver only had $15,000 worth of insurance."
That is frustrating to Taboadela and her family.
"That's the part that my family is struggling right now is why everything is falling back to him," Taboadela said.
Adding insult to injury, Salo's insurance will only give Evans $2,400 toward a new car -- hard to replace at that price.
His family has started a GoFundMe page for Evans, of Belleville, a man they say has a heart of gold and is a career volunteer.
"He drives a senior citizen neighbor to bowling every Monday morning, so we had to make other arrangements," Taboadela said.
Taboadela said her uncle has been there for others in their time of need. Now the family is hoping for some love in return.
Taboadela said she plans to contact legislators. She also plans to fight the driver in court, but she recently learned Salo has zero assets and filed for bankruptcy a few years ago.
