A 1-year-old boy is tragically dead following an accident police believe was predicated on alcohol and drug use. Ohio police have not yet filed charges against the driver involved, but they believe he may have been intoxicated. As with most alleged drunk drivers, he could face serious charges and will be expected to appear in court to face them.
According to the limited information in the report, it appears the 60-year-old man was driving his vehicle southbound around 1:30 a.m. the morning of May 17 when he lost control of his vehicle. The car left the roadway, striking a tree. It is unclear how fast the vehicle was going at the time of the impact, but the force of the impact injured all three passengers, who were taken to a local hospital.
The 1-year-old child, who was the grandson of the 49-year-old female passenger, was sitting on his grandmother’s lap at the time of the crash. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The condition of the driver and grandmother is unknown at this time. Police say they believe the man may have been drunk and/or high, leading to the crash.
The loss of a child is a senseless tragedy, and accidents caused by high or drunk drivers are by definition preventable, which is why Ohio maintains strict laws about legal limits. It is possible the driver will face jail time and the loss of his license if it can be proven he was responsible for the crash. Separately, his passenger and the family of the deceased child are entitled to file personal injury and/or wrongful death suits against him in civil court. Considering the specifics of this case, the child’s grandmother may be subject to similar criminal and civil consequences as well.
