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Fatal car accident in Wisconsin prompts felony charges

A Wisconsin man who allegedly drove his car into a group of men who had been deer hunting is now facing multiple felony charges. The man is charged with driving drunk and killing one of the men in the group. Another man was injured in the fatal car accident.

The man reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of .196 percent — more than twice the legal limit — when the accident occurred. The man was reportedly driving fairly fast when he came upon the group of hunters. He apparently could not stop his car in time, and it collided with several of the men, killing one and injuring another.

The accident marks the fifth time the man has faced charges for drinking while driving. He was convicted of that offense four times in the past 16 years. In this instance, he reportedly told officials he was most likely drunk when the accident happened since he’d had several beers before driving. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years.

The man appeared in court recently and requested a modification of his bond. He said he wanted to begin treatment. The judge did grant that request. A pretrial conference has been set for early spring, according to court records.

Regardless of the progress of the criminal proceedings, the family of the man killed is entitled to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit in a Wisconsin courtroom against the man thought responsible for this fatal car accident. The injured man may also initiate further legal action to cover his medical costs and any wages he lost when unable to work. Neither action will reverse what happened, but properly navigated legal claims might provide some sense of closure for the people involved.

Source: waow.com, >Driver’s blood-alcohol level in fatal crash: 0.19%, Robert Imrie, Jan. 7, 2014

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