A fatal collision occurred on a recent Monday morning in Georgia. The fatal accident involved two vehicles at about 10:45 a.m. It happened along Interstate 516.
According to police, a Lexus was going west in the far left lane, and a Dodge minivan was in the center lane travelling west. Meanwhile, a Hyundai car was going the wrong direction in the center westbound lane and ended up being struck by the Dodge. The Hyundai was then sent across the westbound exit lane and collided with a cement barrier. It then went across all of the lanes going west, struck a barrier, and hit the Lexus from behind.
The passenger in the Dodge minivan, which was hit head-on, died as a result of the collision; this individual was 77 years old. The driver of the minivan, 69, suffered injuries and was taken to the hospital. The driver of the Hyundai was also taken to the hospital. Police said he had tried to flee the scene and ended up jumping off of an overpass to train tracks and possibly broke his legs; charges against him are pending. Nothing was reported as to the condition of those in the Lexus.
The man believed to have caused the fatal accident before fleeing the scene may not only face criminal charges but also legal problems in the form of liability suits. This is because the injured victim and the surviving loved ones of the deceased victim have the right to file a personal injury claim and a wrongful death claim, respectively. If the man facing charges ends up being convicted in Georgia, proof of the conviction may be presented in a related civil court proceeding in an effort to establish liability. Liability needs to be established to the court’s satisfaction before claims for monetary damages will be determined.
Source: wtoc.com, “Victim of fatal I-516 crash identified“, Aug. 24, 2015
