A person who is on his or her way to an important destination often is concentrating on simply getting there, not always realizing what other motorists on the road are doing. Unfortunately, in some cases, people have chosen to drink and drive, thus putting others on the street in harm’s way. When a driver ends up losing his or her life due to another person’s decision to drive while intoxicated, the resulting frustration for family members who are left behind following the fatal auto accident in Connecticut is clearly understandable.
This is the situation that one family faces in Connecticut following a recent auto accident. In this case, a 23-year-old man was driving on Route 8, heading south. At that point, he rear-ended another vehicle, and both automobiles ended up in the median.
The first vehicle hit a guardrail. Meanwhile, the other automobile hit the pillar supporting a concrete bridge. The driver of this vehicle was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead. The 23-year-old driver was charged with driving while intoxicated, second-degree manslaughter and reckless driving. He also was driving with a suspended registration or license.
The man who is believed to have caused the fatal wreck will have to respond to his criminal charges. However, he may face other legal issues in the form of a wrongful death claim filed by the family of the deceased auto accident victim. Alcohol typically distorts a person’s judgment and ability to concentrate, which is why it can quickly cause fatal accidents. If the accused man ends up being convicted of his drunk driving charge or other criminal charges, the convictions may be used to attempt to establish his liability in a related Connecticut civil court proceeding.
Source: Hartford Courant, Man Charged With Manslaughter After Fatal Crash In Trumbull, Kelly Glista, Feb. 22, 2014
