The man was also charged with improper lane change while driving the RV, which was believed to be responsible for triggering the multiple-vehicle chain reaction. Marietta Police said the current warrant has a no-bond and a nationwide extradition clause added. Police stated that they had encouraged the driver to turn himself in within 24-48 hours when they spoke with him, but that they did not know his exact location.
According to prior reports, the accident was caused when the RV, which was traveling southbound on I-75 near Delk Road, reportedly slammed into a Toyota Camry, which then collided with a Toyota Prius. The Prius then hit a median wall and flipped, partially ejecting its passenger, a 40 year old man who was not wearing a seatbelt. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
What stands out regarding the criminal charges in this case is that the charges against the driver would have been less stringent had he not fled the scene. As previously discussed, the accidental killing of another person in a car accident is typically construed as second degree vehicular homicide, and is a misdemeanor offense, punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to $1,000.00, or both. Therefore, the driver’s act of leaving the scene bumped up his criminal charges from misdemeanor to felony, and could potentially have tripled the jail time he may be sentenced with, as this charge carries a potential prison sentence of 3-15 years.
The reason behind the heightened charges is indicative of the public policy concerns with having to track down the responsible person, and potential added difficulty of discerning the circumstances surrounding the accident, etc.
However, the potential legal fallout of this case, and other accidents ending in fatalities, is not necessarily limited to the criminal charges. The goal of criminal cases is to punish an individual for their wrongdoing. Our justice system supplies the option of pursing civil lawsuits in order to give some sort of compensation to the victim or their family for the harm caused, in an attempt to compensate them for the injury or loss.
If you have been injured, or a loved one has been killed, in a car accident due to another individual’s negligent driving, you should consult with an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney as soon as possible. Stephen M. Ozcomert is a knowledgeable personal injury attorney with over 20 years of experience. Attorney Ozcomert understands the evidentiary intricacies involved in complex accidents which are caused as a result of the negligent or reckless driving of others in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. Contact us today in order to schedule your free initial consultation. You can reach us by calling (404)-370-1000 or through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Fatal Tractor Trailer Collision on I-85 over the Weekend, Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 31, 2013
Sleepy Driver Causes Multi Vehicle Collision, Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 21, 2013
The first weekend in November was a tragic one in the greater Atlanta area, with four separate car accidents that left four people dead.
Three of the accidents occurred on Saturday. Although the circumstances surrounding the crashes were unclear, the first occurred when a garbage truck rolled over while exiting I-75 southbound at the Cleveland Avenue offramp. One public works employee was killed in the single car accident, and another was injured. The second worker was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
Another accident happened on the I-85 north near the Ga. 400 intersection, killing a 20 year old man. According to reports, a passenger was attempting to climb out of a window, which prompted the driver to pull over. The victim was fatally struck after he exited the vehicle and walked into traffic. The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.
According to Cobb County police, the third accident that happened on Saturday, a 17 year old died as a result of the injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle collision at Austell Road at Chamberlain Circle. The accident occurred when the Nissan that the victim was driving attempted to turn left in front of a Range Rover, causing a collision.
The fourth accident happened at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, near the intersection of Ga. 85 and Ga. 138. The passenger of one vehicle was killed, and the driver of the second automobile was transported to a local hospital for treatment of unknown injuries.
Although the circumstances surrounding these various collisions remain unclear, in most cases car accidents occur because at least one driver was at fault. The standard cause of action in car accident cases is negligence. These means that the driver allegedly responsible for causing the collision drove in a way that put others on the road at an unreasonable risk of harm. Some examples of this type of driving include excessive speeding, failure to obey traffic signals, failure to yield, etc.
If you have been injured as a result of another driver’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, physical or other therapies, lost wages, and other related experiences. Contact an experienced car accident attorney today in order to learn the full extent of your potential legal claim.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident due to another individual’s negligent driving, consult an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney as soon as possible. Stephen M. Ozcomert is a knowledgeable personal injury attorney with over 20 years of experience, and is skilled at representing individuals and their families who have been injured as a result of the negligent or reckless driving of others in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. Call us today at (404)-370-1000 in order to schedule your free initial consultation, or you can reach us through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Fatal Tractor Trailer Collision on I-85 over the Weekend, Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 31, 2013
Sleepy Driver Causes Multi Vehicle Collision, Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 21, 2013
A Duluth family is mourning the loss of a mother of two who was killed in a rollover crash on Interstate 85 earlier this month.
The woman was running errands with her husband and their two young children in the family’s SUV on I-85 when the collision occurred.
Police say the accident occurred when a tractor-trailer forced the family’s SUV out of its lane and into a box truck traveling next to them. The force of the initial impact was so great that the SUV then flipped several times and travelled over the guardrail before coming to rest on the on-ramp at Steve Reynolds Boulevard.
The woman was ejected from the SUV, and later died as a result of her injuries. The children were transported to the local children’s hospital, and were accompanied by their father.
Authorities revealed that the driver of the tractor-trailer did not stop at the scene of the accident. Luckily, however, the driver was later tracked down in Cobb County, and was interviewed by police. Police reported that the crash is still under investigation and it remains unclear what, if any, charges will be filed.
Under Georgia law, drivers are held liable for the collisions that they cause when they breach a legal duty. For example, negligent drivers are subject to liability when their reckless driving results in accidental injury. These drivers are deemed to be at fault because their failure to exercise due caution directly resulted in harm. Common examples of this sort of liability arise in situations where drivers are speeding excessively, are intoxicated, drive aggressively, fail to yield, or drive in other ways which are not in accordance with how a typical safe driver might proceed.
In this case, there seems to be evidence that the truck that initially nicked the SUV may have been at fault. While it is unclear why the initial collision occurred, fatigue is a common reason that truck drivers become involved in collisions. When truck drivers are to blame for causing accidents, the individuals whom they injure could potentially have a claim against their employer. Potentially recoverable expenses include things such as hospital or other medical bills, future lost earnings, pain, suffering, anguish, lost relationship, reasonable funeral expenses, etc. An experienced Atlanta car accident attorney can fully advise you regarding the potential recovery to which you may be entitled as a result of your collision.
If you have been injured, or a loved one has been killed in a car accident, due to another individual’s negligent driving, you should consult with an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney immediately. Stephen Ozcomert is a knowledgeable personal injury attorney with over 20 years of experience, and is skilled at representing individuals and their families who have been injured as a result of the negligent or reckless driving of others in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. Hiring our firm ensures that you will receive personal attention, excellent quality representation, and that your case will be handled in accordance with high ethical standards. Contact us today in order to schedule your free initial consultation. You can reach us by calling (404)-370-1000 or through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Pedestrian Believed to be Reason for 7 Car Collision on I-75 Outside Atlanta, Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published July 8, 2013
Motorcycle Fatalities Are On the Rise Across the Nation, Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog,published June 28, 2013
