Thanks to the efforts to educate the general public on the dangers of drinking and driving, it is unlikely that a person can legitimately claim ignorance of the potential consequences of engaging in such behavior. Unfortunately, people continue to do so. One man in Wisconsin has recently been accused of drunk driving after a fatal car accident killed one man and seriously injured his wife.
The 19-year-old accused of causing the accident was allegedly traveling south in the northbound lanes. Reports indicate that he was speeding. In fact, police claim that he reached speeds of up to 100 mph in an attempt to avoid a state trooper.
Police say the man eventually collided head-on with a pickup truck. The driver of the truck was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, who was in the pickup with him, suffered serious injuries. A passenger in the first vehicle said he and the driver had been drinking at a concert prior to the accident. Test results indicated that the accused’s blood alcohol content was .215.
As a result of the teenager’s alleged decision to drink and drive, a family will have to deal with the loss of their loved one. In addition to their grief, the family will have to cope with funeral expenses as well as medical costs for the injured passenger. While a conviction in regards to the criminal charges is not necessary, it could bolster claims of negligence in a Wisconsin civil court. If such claims can be proved, the court man order an award of monetary damages accrued from the car accident.
Source: wisn.com, “Wrong-Way driver charged in fatal Kenosha County crash“, Marianne Lyles, Oct. 7, 2014
