Life can change unexpectedly in the blink of an eye, and, when these changes happen because of someone else’s recklessness, it may be hard for Ohio residents to come to terms with it. This may be what an Ohio woman is facing after she lost a child in a car accident 19 months ago, which may have been caused by drunk driving.
On her way to her minimum wage job, the woman was walking on the side of the street with three of her children. Suddenly, a car jumped the curb and ran right into them on the sidewalk. Her 3-year-old son died as a result of the accident.
The 36-year-old woman who allegedly caused the accident took a breathalyzer test for alcohol. The driver registered a 0.133 blood alcohol level, well above the Ohio legal limit of 0.08.
According to the police, the driver was drinking before driving home from a friend’s home in the morning. She faces charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and aggravated vehicular assault. She has been in jail since her arrest, even though her bond was posted, because of other legal issues.
The victim has found it hard to attend court sessions where the prosecutor and the defense attorneys are presenting differing versions of the accident. All she wants is for the allegedly drunk driver to take responsibility for her actions.
In addition and independent of criminal charges, it is also possible to hold a reckless driver accountable in a civil case. Though a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit will not bring the deceased family member back, the compensation received through the lawsuit may help family members through difficult economic times caused by the sudden accident.
Source: Cincinnati.com, “Drico’s death still haunts mother,” Jennifer Baker, May 25, 2014