The Ohio State Highway Patrol believes that alcohol was likely one of the contributing factors in a fatal accident that left one person injured. The driver accused of causing the wreck has since been arrested and, at last report, was still in police custody. As the road to recovery has only just begun, it is possible that a personal injury claim might be in the injured victim’s future.
According to police, a 42-year-old driver was traveling with one passenger just before the wreck occurred when he entered into an intersection with the right-of-way. At the same time, a suspected drunk driver allegedly ignored a red light and sped into the same intersection. Reports indicate that the apparently drunk driver’s vehicle then struck the other one, causing both of its occupants to suffer serious injuries.
Although the driver who caused the wreck initially fled the scene, he was later found, arrested and charged for leaving the site of the accident and vehicular homicide. The second charge stems from the death of the other driver, who died a short while after being transported to the hospital. His passenger was also taken to the hospital with injuries.
The dangers and serious risks associated with being intoxicated behind the wheel are well understood, and yet drunk drivers continue to create terrifyingly dangerous situations on Ohio roads. Even for the safest driver, avoiding an accident with a drunk driver can be a nearly impossible task. While most drunk drivers do face criminal charges, victims and their families must still continue to live with the daily emotional and physical traumas of a serious auto accident. In order to adequately handle all of the related damages, victims — or their families in the event of a fatality — often choose to seek justice in the form of a personal injury or wrongful death suit. The outcome of the successful handling of either one of these claims can be instrumental in the process of redefining normal for all those who are affected.
Source: wlwt.com, “Woman killed, suspect in custody after Hopple Street crash“, David Pierce and Ben Petracco, Aug. 2, 2015
