DUI Charge in Wrongful Death Case Results in Unusual Sentence Provision

The courts are looking for unusual and innovative ways to make a point that it does not pay to drink and drive.

This reported case may sound like just another drunk driving conviction, but this one has a twist to it. This story started when a young 24-year-old man doing duty as a designated driver was taking his friends home from an evening out on the town drinking. After dropping the last one off, he headed home, but never made it.

In the middle of an intersection, another car driven by a 26-year-old woman ran a red light and slammed into the side of the man’s car. His family was in deep shock when they heard the news. That shock also turned to anger when they found out that her blood alcohol level was 0.229, and the legal limit was 0.08. The family sought legal counsel and filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Before the civil action was launched in court, the woman was criminally charged and convicted o driving under the influence, first-degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving. The court ordered her to begin serving a five-year prison term, with another five-year term spent on probation. The unusual twist to this case is that the mother of the deceased requested the court to order the woman to always carry a picture of her dead son with her during her sentence, and the court acquiesced to the request in the hopes it would drive home a point – that her negligence killed someone.

It never ceases to be a source of disappointment that people still drink and drive. It has been proven over and over again that driving while drunk kills. Sadly, those who drink and drive, and think that they will get home alive are being thoughtless, and may also wind up as dead as the innocent victim they run over because they wanted to get drunk.

Have you been in a wreck with a drunk driver? If you have, contact an experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer and start asking questions about how you can recover compensation for your injuries. You will need to know your legal rights and how a case may proceed should you file a lawsuit with the assistance of an Atlanta personal injury lawyer. Do not wait to make that call. Your recovery may depend on it.

Tim Anderson writes for Atlanta Personal Injury attorney, Stephen M. Ozcomert. The firm specializes in personal injury, malpractice, motorcycle accidents, and wrongful death. To learn more about Atlanta personal injury lawyer, Stephen M. Ozcomert, visit Ozcomert.com.

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