Ohio man sentenced to 8 years for fatal accident

On behalf of Weisman, Kennedy & Berris Co., L.P.A. posted in car accident on Friday, September 21, 2012.

Car accidents are a regular occurrence on America’s roads, and sometimes one person involved in the crash is liable. In some cases, that person can be prosecuted in a criminal court, and a civil case to compensate the victims may be bolstered by the criminal case.

A 35-year old Perrysburg man was sentenced to serve a total of eight years in prison for his actions that lead to a fatal accident involving a 37-year-old man and his family. The courts found that the defendant was guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault when he traveled southbound in the northbound lane of I-75. The crash occurred in the late evening hours of Oct. 15, 2011.

The driver of the vehicle struck by the defendant died in the crash, and the victim’s wife and children also sustained injuries in the collision. The man’s fiancée, her 15-year-old daughter and her 14-year-old son suffered serious injuries, and a 9-year-old child suffered from minor injuries.

The judge cited the defendant’s prior driving record, including charges of speeding and drunk driving, as factors in the case. The defendant’s license has also been suspended for life. The court noted that alcohol did not appear to be a contributing factor, and the defense argued that the intersection is difficult to navigate at times.

Families who suffer the loss of a loved one in a car accident can often recover the costs of their injuries and damages, along with lost wages and other expenses, when negligence is involved on the part of another driver. Understanding the legal rights and responsibilities involved in such a crash lets the family begin to seek compensation and start the process of moving on.

Source: The Toledo Blade, “Wrong-way driver is sentenced to 8 years,” Erica Blake, Sept. 7, 2012