Shortly after 6:30 p.m. on a recent Tuesday, a 911 call reported an accident in which one person was injured. Detectives and deputies, along with the fire department, responded to the accident scene in Ohio. This ultimately led to a UTV driver facing felony charges. Sadly, many alcohol-related accidents lead to fatal injuries.
In this case, first responders arrived at the accident scene to find a man trapped by a crashed UTV. Reportedly, rescue workers who responded determined that the trapped victim was a passenger. He landed under the vehicle after he was ejected during a crash that followed the driver losing control and the vehicle rolling over.
When responders attempted to retrieve the 63-year-old man, they determined that he had succumbed to his injuries. Deputies arrested the 50-year-old UTV operator at the crash scene. He is now facing an aggravated vehicular homicide charge, along with a misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle while impaired. He was booked into the county jail, awaiting a court hearing, and the deceased passenger was transported to the office of the coroner for an autopsy.
When lives are lost in alcohol-related accidents, the surviving family members of deceased passengers might have grounds to pursue claims for financial relief. However, navigating a wrongful death lawsuit is complicated, and typically best handled by an experienced Ohio attorney who will have to prove that negligence caused the passenger’s death. Documented claims in such lawsuits usually include the costs related to end-of-life arrangements, lost income, along with the pain and suffering of the family members caused by the unexpected death of a loved one.