A Georgia man has been taken into police custody after fleeing a car crash that caused the death of his girlfriend. The man now faces eight charges, including hit and run, drunk driving, homicide by vehicle and driving without a valid license.
According to the report, the man was allegedly driving while intoxicated. He smashed his pickup truck into a tree. His 24-year-old girlfriend was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital. The man fled the scene and was found hiding behind a shed on a nearby property. When facing the judge, the man claimed that he did not remember this. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries from the accident and had surgery before his hearing.
The man faces up to five years in prison on the hit and run charge and up to 15 years in prison for the vehicular homicide charge. At the time of the accident, the man was on probation for a felony drug charge.
The sudden death of a loved one can be devastating for family members. However, the individual’s children, spouse or parents may file a lawsuit in order to obtain compensation for their loss. In many cases, the family members may sue for medical costs, lost companionship, pain and suffering, rehabilitation and funeral expenses, among other damages.
An experienced Georgia attorney may be able to help the family by investigating the evidence against the individual responsible for the death. For example, the attorney may reconstruct the accident and use medical reports to show the extent of the lost individual’s injuries and to show that the death occurred due to the defendant’s actions. The attorney may also negotiate directly with the insurance company in an attempt to maximize the settlement.
Source: Times-Georgian, “Police found motorist hiding behind shed following deadly car crash“, July 05, 2013
