Drivers who choose to engage in reckless driving behaviors risk not only their life, but also those of everyone else on the road. A wrongful death that occurred last April was the topic of a recent hearing at which a man faced charges stemming from reckless driving and endangerment.
The fatal accident occurred during the evening rush hour along Birmingham’s Interstate 459. At this time, a 58-year-old wife and mother of four was traveling in an SUV along I-459. At this same time, a 44-year-old man was traveling in his vehicle down I-459 at a speed estimated to be in excess of 100 mph.
The man’s vehicle struck the SUV driven by the 58-year-old woman. The force of the collision resulted in both vehicles leaving the Interstate. The SUV flipped and rolled over several times, causing the 58-year-old woman’s body to be thrown from the vehicle.
The serious accident resulted in the woman suffering numerous and severe injuries. First responders arriving on the accident scene pronounced the woman dead.
A judge presiding over the case recently sentenced the man to 18 years in prison for criminal charges stemming from the fatal accident.
With the criminal case behind them, the family of the deceased 58-year-old woman may also choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit. In cases such as this where a driver is deemed grossly negligent in causing the death of another driver or passenger, a wrongful death claim can help family members recover compensation related to lost wages and pain and suffering.
Source: Alabama Live, “Man gets 18-year sentence for I-459 crash that killed Tuscaloosa woman,” Kelsey Stein, Feb. 1, 2013
