Alabama residents who are concerned about people who drive drunk, cause accidents and then seem to be able to avoid any consequences have reason to be frustrated with this seemingly senseless cycle. With the holidays approaching, the worry about drunk drivers may even be greater as holiday celebrations commonly involve alcohol and motorists driving home after their parties.
Sometimes, drunk drivers are held accountable for their actions even if it seems that it takes a while for this to happen. A man in Jefferson County has recently been arrested and charged with criminal offenses related to an accident that took place nine months ago. The crash involved a head-on collision in which the defendant was reported to have been driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.249 percent. This is far beyond the 0.08 percent legal limit for intoxication.
The defendant and the driver of the other vehicle were both injured and required treatment at a hospital. For the injury to the other driver, the defendant has been charged with first degree assault. A 24-year-old passenger in the second vehicle died in the crash. For that death, the defendant has been charged with murder. It is not known why it took so long for charges to be filed or what penalties the man may face if convicted. It is also not known if any civil lawsuit is pending or has taken place in the case.
While nothing can ever bring back the life of a loved one, people who experience these tragic accidents may find it helpful to work with an attorney to seek compensation as one way of ensuring some consequences are applied.
Source: AL.com, “Man charged with murder in February DUI head-on crash,” Carol Robinson, Nov. 1, 2016
