There are few things that can be worse than a North Carolina family losing a loved one unexpectedly. One of those things may be that the person seemingly responsible won’t accept accountability for their alleged involvement in the death. A North Carolina family has recently found themselves in this predicament after a man who was charged with a DWI pleaded not guilty after allegedly causing the death of a couple. Losing a loved one unexpectedly can warrant a claim against the person who caused the tragedy.
The accident happened just over a year ago. An elderly man and woman were said to have been driving home from church at the time a man hit them head-on. The couple was traveling eastbound when the man, who was apparently speeding, allegedly went into their lane and killed them as a result of the crash.
Not only was the driver speeding, officials claim that it was much worse. He had a blood-alcohol content of over twice the legal limit, according to North Carolina law. There were several witnesses to the accident who claimed that they, too, had a close encounter with the alleged drunk driver. Multiple drivers had to swerve in order to get out of the path of the man’s car.
He was charged with felony death by a motor vehicle and DWI, both of which he pleaded not guilty to. Losing a loved one unexpectedly is hard enough on any North Carolina family, but to know the person believed responsible will not admit to it may be much worse. The surviving family members may be entitled to file a civil claim against the driver in an attempt to get restitution for their loss, regardless of how the criminal case plays out.
Source: WRAL, Raleigh man pleads not guilty in fatal 2013 St. Patrick’s Day DWI collision, No author, March 10, 2014
