Talking on their cell phones while driving can be a distraction for many people. Sometimes, the driver is lucky and nothing adverse happens. Other times, like in a recent fatal car accident in Wisconsin, the results can be deadly.
A 20-year-old man was reportedly talking to his girlfriend on the phone when the vehicle he was driving hit a man riding his bike. The man driving reportedly told his girlfriend he had hit someone. He allegedly told her he needed to get home quickly to avoid any questions from the authorities.
The bicyclist died from the injuries he received in the accident. He suffered multiple blunt force traumas to several areas of his body. Officers found his destroyed bicycle, which showed definite signs that it was involved in a collision of some sort.
Police used camera footage from several area businesses and traffic cameras to reconstruct what had happened. They identified the man driving from video taken while he pumped gas at a station near where the accident occurred. His photo was publicly released and several people contacted the police with his identity.
The man is awaiting trial in a Wisconsin jail. He faces up to 25 years incarceration if found guilty of the hit and run charges filed against him. His next court appearance is scheduled for early next month.
As police put together their case in criminal court, the family of the man killed may want to consider pursuing civil action. A successful personal injury lawsuit claiming wrongful death could provide the resources they need to move past this tragic car accident. It won’t change the past but it could help provide a better future.
Source: Green Bay Press Gazette, Police: Man charged in fatal hit-and-run was on phone at time of crash, Ariel Cheung, Dec. 20, 2013
