A Walton woman could face criminal charges as the result of a one-vehicle accident early Saturday on state Route 10 in the town of Walton that killed a local man, Delaware County deputies said Sunday.
Alcohol and speed were factors in the crash that killed Frank Ruiz, 28, of Walton, who was declared dead at the scene, deputies said.
An autopsy completed Sunday at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton revealed that Ruiz died of extensive injuries, including a broken neck and back, Undersheriff Douglas Vredenburg said.
Ruiz, a front-seat passenger, had been wearing a seat belt, the undersheriff said.
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The driver, Katherine Covell, 22, of Walton, remained at Wilson Memorial Regional Medical Center in Johnson City on Sunday, Vredenburg said. Her injuries weren't life-threatening, he said, and she also had been wearing a seat belt.
According to a news release from the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, at 2:54 a.m. Saturday, deputies responded to the accident on state Route 10, near what is known locally as ``Ice House'' turn.
Covell appeared to have lost control of the vehicle, which struck the guardrail, spun around and hit several large trees before coming to rest over the guardrail against a tree on the east shoulder of the road above the river, deputies said. The engine compartment caught fire.
The initial investigation revealed Covell had consumed alcohol before the accident and was traveling at a high rate of speed when she lost control of the vehicle, deputies said.
Vredenburg said Covell was giving Ruiz and Torres a ride to their home, not far from where the accident happened. They had been in Walton, probably socializing, he said.
The ``Ice House'' turn, where the speed limit is 55 mph, is a long, sweeping curve that has been the site of fatal accidents in years past, perhaps as the result of driver over-confidence and/or excessive speed, Vredenburg said.
Covell was in satisfactory condition in the surgical unit, a Wilson nursing supervisor said at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Deputies said Covell originally was taken to Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton on Saturday and transferred for further treatment to the hospital in Johnson City.
Eduardo Torres, 21, of Walton, a passenger in the back seat, was taken to Delaware Valley Hospital, where he was treated for unspecified injuries and released, deputies said. Vredenburg said he didn't know if Torres was wearing a seat belt.
Delaware County District Attorney Richard Northrup said he was at the scene Saturday but it was too early Sunday to say which charges might result.
``The investigation is continuing,'' Northrup said. ``Obviously, there was a death involved _ it's something we're taking a hard look at.''
On Saturday night, deputies were assisted at the scene by members of the Walton Fire Department, emergency squad, fire police, Delaware County Department of Emergency Services and members of the state police Accident Reconstruction Team.
Vredenburg confirmed that Covell is the daughter of Patrick Covell, a former Walton village trustee and mayoral candidate.
Torres, who was very close to Ruiz, his brother, is sore and confused but is coming along, Candido said.
On Sunday, Ruiz's stepfather, Joe Candido, said community members expressed condolences and shared how they remembered Ruiz's wonderful smile.
``He was a happy individual,'' Candido said.
According to an obituary online at Clark, Winter & Courtney Funeral Home, Ruiz was born in Brooklyn and during the four years he lived in Walton, he became well-known. He was employed by Frank Berkie Construction in Walton, the obituary said, and he loved playing basketball, watching the New York Yankees and ``was a natural born joker.''
Ruiz is survived by his wife, Helen, and three children, Briana, Frank Jr. and Damien, among other family members, the obituary said. Calling hours at the funeral home in Walton will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, and a Mass of Christian Burial will be at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Walton at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Candido, who with his wife, Millie, owns Old World Italian Restaurant in Walton, said the family is distraught about Ruiz's death. Ruiz was a hard worker, courteous and, most importantly, ``great to his mom,'' Millie, calling her three times a day, Candido said. Ruiz's boss stopped in the restaurant Sunday to say he would miss Ruiz, he said, and people he didn't know also stopped him in the community Sunday to express condolences.
``They remember his wonderful smile,'' Candido said. ``He was very well-liked in the community.''
