A recent Texas drunken driving accident illustrates how a DUI can create victims who are not even present at the crash scene.
Georgia's Driving Under the Influence Laws are complex. Clayton County DUI injury attorney Shane Smith can sort through the intermingled laws that potentially create complications in a DUI case.
A 31-year-old Texas man was driving home with his wife and four children when his truck broke down. The man and his two oldest sons were pushing the truck home and were within sight of it, only 50 yards away, when a 20-year-old drunk driver crashed into them. The older son died at the scene and the other son died later at a hospital. The man suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The drunk driver's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was reportedly 0.175 percent, more than twice the legal limit.
Witnesses said they saw the man walk to his home shortly after the accident. He then returned to the accident scene. One gunshot was fired in what police are calling a revenge killing. The man was charged with murder in the killing of the suspected drunk driver.
The incident illustrates the vast reach of a DUI accident. The obvious victims are the two boys who were killed by the suspected drunk driver. However, there are others. Online reaction defended the boys' father for what is being called a "heat of passion" murder. Despite the potential defense, he faces a murder charge and potential prison time. The two surviving children lost their two brothers and their father was arrested. The boys' mother lost two children in the accident, her husband was arrested and she may face the loss of household income if the father was the primary source of income. She also must deal with the cost of a criminal defense.
Though it might not be as obvious, the alleged drunk driver's family is also impacted. He was married with an infant son and their lives are forever changed. They are facing the loss of a spouse and parent. The surviving spouse and child may be required to compensate for the wrongful deaths of the two children killed by the drunk driver.
If you have questions about Georgia DUI laws, get the answers in Clayton County DUI injury attorney Shane Smith's book, I Was Hit By a Drunk Driver: What Do I Do Next? Contact Shane Smith Law to schedule a free legal consultation.