A news outlet had made an initial report that a vehicle had pulled to the shoulder of I-85 with a flat tire around 6 a.m on a recent morning. The 24-year-old male was still inside his immobilized vehicle when another car came along and crashed into him. His vehicle was pushed into one of the lanes of interstate traffic, where an 18-wheeler slammed into it and caused the vehicle to burst into flames. The young driver did not survive the collisions.
Allegedly, an officer who had investigated the scene testified in court that he had reason to believe the driver of the second vehicle had been drinking. In addition, while undergoing an assessment by hospital personnel after the accident, the woman claimed she only had vague memories about the events of the morning. Police have charged her with vehicular homicide and DUI, among other infractions. She had been remanded to the county jail with her bond set at $65,700. She has been released on the provisions that she does not drive and that she immediately checks herself into a rehabilitation center where she will be observed at all times.
One family is going through tremendous pain and grief because of another person’s reckless choice of drunk driving. The woman should be held accountable for her actions by following the instructions set forth by the court. However, the young man’s family has the option to further hold this woman liable through the filing of a wrongful death lawsuit. An attorney in Georgia will be able to explain the options available to the man’s surviving family and serve as a much-needed advocate as they navigate the legal process.
