You never know when you’re sharing the road with a drunk driver until it’s too late. Like all accidents, they happen when we least expect them to and the consequences can be life-altering and deadly.
A fatal accident like this happened in League City on a recent Saturday during the early morning hours at approximately 1:35 a.m. Close to the FM 518 exit ramp along Interstate 45, two cars collided. Authorities indicate that a 38-year-old man was speeding and moving in and out of his lane of traffic while operating a Nissan when he collided with a Jeep Wrangler being operated by a 22-year-old man.
When the Nissan struck the Jeep, it rolled over and ejected the 22-year-old. Tragically, the young man didn’t survive the collision. Authorities pronounced him dead at the accident site. The driver of the Nissan, on the other hand, survived the collision without a scratch.
Police have since charged the Nissan driver with intoxicated manslaughter. However, police have yet to release his suspected level of intoxication. Intoxicated manslaughter is a serious offense that could land him in prison for many years — even decades — if he is convicted and depending on the circumstances of the crash and how the judge or jury feels about the matter.
In addition to being held criminally accountable, drunk drivers may also find themselves financially liable for the loss of life, injuries, property damages and other damages they cause. Unlike a criminal lawsuit, however, which is handled in criminal court, a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit will be litigated in civil court by victims or family members.
Source: cw39.com, “Intoxicated driver involved in deadly accident, kills man in League City,” Ashley E. Tillery, Dec. 02, 2017