The driver of the death vehicle was way over the legal drinking limit. He killed three people he never met.
This is one of those cases where you wonder where people left their brains. The driver of the pickup that caused this fatal wreck was more than drunk when he attempted to drive home at 3 a.m. He wasn’t doing a very good job of staying between the lines or staying on the road at all. In fact, his driving was so erratic that he slammed into a car carrying three younger men who happened to be heading in the same direction the 28-year-old pick-up driver was going.
But for a night out on the town, three men would still be alive today. The pickup driver survived but was in critical condition. The other three victims never had a chance. The hospitalized survivor was charged with driving with a blood alcohol content over .08, impaired driving causing death and manslaughter. While it is unusual to also lay a manslaughter charge in a case like this, there were several factors the police considered: the aggressively high rate of speed the drunk was maintaining and the level of impairment, which was objectively dangerous enough to kill someone.
Whatever happened to common sense? It appears to have gone out the window when the pickup driver made the assumption, or glaringly bad judgment, to attempt to drive when he was totally drunk. The families of the three dead young men have sought legal counsel in this matter, and it is safe to say that all three will likely file wrongful death lawsuits. The families are left with nothing but memories. The survivor is left with memories, but one imagines they won’t make him quit drinking. Somehow, that never happens. Instead, the deaths become another reason to continue getting drunk.
Death by drunk driver is one of the toughest types of accidents to understand and for good reason. The accident just never should have happened in the first place. Those who drive are responsible for the safety of others on the road. That is just the way it is. Those who speed, drive recklessly, drive under the influence of something or drive negligently are responsible for their actions and for their negligence that maimed or killed others.
If you have been involved in an accident with a drunk driver, call an experienced Austin personal injury lawyer to understand what your rights are and how to pursue a lawsuit to recover compensation for your injuries. While cases like this may take some time to go through the court system or be settled, with a seasoned Austin personal injury lawyer handling the case, justice will be done.
Robert W. Lee is an Austin personal injury lawyer for The Lee Law Firm. If you need an Austin personal injury lawyer, contact an Austin personal injury attorney from The Lee Law Firm. Visit RWLeelaw.com.
