Alcohol likely a factor in fatal car crash

A fatal accident recently occurred in Gloucester County. The Virginia investigators initially suspect that a man driving a pickup truck crossed the center line and struck an SUV, killing the passenger in the second vehicle and injuring the driver. Additionally, the law enforcement officers believe that alcohol was a factor in the car crash.

The accident took place shortly before 4 p.m. near Route 17. The man driving the pickup truck was heading east when he left his lane and crossed into the opposing lane of traffic. The man subsequently caused a head-on collision with the SUV. The passenger in the SUV was unfortunately not wearing his safety belt, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was transported to an area hospital, and her condition is unknown at this time.

The investigators who responded to the crash suspect that the driver of the pickup truck may have been intoxicated when he caused the accident. However, the details surrounding why they suspected him to be intoxicated, including the results of any blood-alcohol tests, were not made publicly available. Regardless, the man now faces his second DUI charge as well as a charge for involuntary manslaughter resulting from the accident.

As the driver of the pickup truck begins to form his criminal defense, the family of the occupants of the SUV may also want to begin taking legal measures of their own. Despite the fact that the man faces Virginia criminal charges, he can also face civil charges if the family wishes to pursue them. The family of the victims of the car crash can file both a personal injury suit and a wrongful death suit against the driver of the first vehicle in an attempt to hold the man fully responsible for his negligent actions.

Source: wtkr.com, “UPDATE: Man charged with DUI after head-on collision kills one, injures another in Gloucester County“, Doris Taylor, Feb. 18, 2015