When a person has a license to drive in Kentucky or elsewhere, he or she is obligated to adhere to traffic laws and safety regulations behind the wheel. Unexpected issues can arise on the road that cause sudden changes in traffic flow, and drivers must be prepared to slow down or stop in order to avoid a crash. In 2019, a man failed to stop in time and struck the vehicle in front of his, which caused that car to slam into another one. The collision resulted in two fatalities.
A rear-end collision occurred when traffic was stopped
A married couple, each of whom was older and retired from his or her career, had been traveling with several others when the man’s vehicle hit them from behind. They had stopped because of a standstill caused by another collision that had occurred on the roadway. The husband was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife initially survived her injuries but died approximately one week later.
Criminal charges were filed in connection with the collision
The man who had been driving the car that hit the couple’s vehicle was charged with vehicular homicide. He recently pleaded guilty to the charges against him and now faces a minimum of 15 years in prison. His blood alcohol content level at the time of the crash was nearly twice the legal limit.
Support is available for grieving families seeking justice
There are many drunk driving collisions in Kentucky every year. Families and communities suffer tremendous grief when the lives of loved ones or friends are lost because a person made an irresponsible choice to drink and drive. When a collision results in a fatality, an immediate family member of a decedent may seek restitution under personal injury law against the driver deemed responsible for the death.
