In his duty as a police officer, the man was responding to the call of an accident, driving at a speed close to 100 mph. He pulled over to the center lane in an effort to pass a car just ahead of him, but that car also pulled into the center lane in an effort to get out of the way of the police car. As the officer swerved to avoid crashing into the car, he lost control of his patrol vehicle and drove onto a sidewalk where the cousins were walking.
The officer was released from his duties the next day and was charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and speeding, as it was determined he was going well over the posted 40 mph speed limit. Along with a $1,000 fine, he is required to spend six months in prison with another 4 1/2 years on probation. Because this is his first offense, the incident will be removed from his record as long as he does not commit another infraction before his sentence is completed.
Although the former Georgia police officer did not have the intent to kill one person and injure another, his negligence had devastating consequences. In similar circumstances, a victim’s surviving family members may file a wrongful death lawsuit in an effort to recoup the financial losses incurred as a result of a fatal car accident. The first step is to speak to an attorney about the legal options available for pursuing recovery of monetary damages.
