Drunk driver kills teen victim

Authorities report the driver who caused a fatal car accident on July 16 appears to have been driving drunk. The Florida man, age 28, is accused of crashing his Ford car into a GMC SUV on Interstate 10 westbound in New Orleans. Killed in the car accident was one of the SUV's passengers, a 17-year-old girl.

Official reports show the man was speeding when he struck the SUV. The 18-year-old driver of that car then lost control of the vehicle, smashing into a concrete barrier before rolling over several times on the interstate. The victim in this case was thrown from the vehicle as it flipped. She died from severe internal injuries and was declared dead at the scene. The driver and another 17-year-old passenger were transported to nearby medical facilities where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The drunken driver was not injured in the crash. Court records show the driver emitted a strong odor of alcohol when he was initially interviewed by police officers. The man provided a breath sample, which documented his blood alcohol content as 0.117 percent. The legal limit for driving in the state of Louisiana is 0.08 percent. The man was then arrested and charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving. Sadly, this was not the first time the man had been arrested for DUI. He had also been booked for the offense in 2008.

In this case, relatives of the victim could seek financial compensation through the civil courts, even if the drunk driver is not convicted on criminal charges. The family members could seek damages from the driver for wrongful death, loss of consort, pain and suffering and emotional distress, among other claims. They should consult the services of a qualified personal injury attorney to find out more about their legal options, allowing them to get the money they need and deserve.

Source: www.nola.com, "Florida man booked in fatal car accident was under the influence at time of crash, records show" Helen Freund, Jul. 18, 2013