Too many Georgia drivers know the dangers of distracted or reckless driving through personal experience. Adjusting the volume of the car radio or texting on a cell phone could lead to dire consequences. The responsibility of every driver is to get wherever he or she is going safely. This means looking out for other drivers and obstacles while behind the wheel in order to avoid a car accident.
Unfortunately, some drivers either forget this point or just flat-out ignore it altogether. For one 29-year-old man and his friend, they became unwitting examples of just what can happen. A woman discovered that she had a flat tire on Interstate 20 in DeKalb County; therefore, she called two friends for help. While the men were changing the tire at 4:30 a.m., a 29-year-old man driving a pickup truck veered from the center lane out to the shoulder where the men were changing the tire. The pickup hit both men.
The pickup truck driver not only allegedly hit the men, but also failed to stop and attempt to render aid. One died while the other was transported to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition. The driver of the car with the flat tire was not injured in the crash. A passing driver followed the pickup truck, called authorities and provided them with the vehicle’s license plate number. This second driver eventually was able to pull the pickup truck over and then the two waited for police.
It will be up to Georgia prosecutors to persuade a jury that the pickup truck is guilty of vehicular homicide and felony hit-and-run. Both the family of the deceased man as well as the critically injured man may be able to use any evidence from the criminal case in a civil action filed in connection with this tragic car accident. The family of the deceased victim may be able to file a wrongful death claim for funeral and burial costs and other allowable damages. The injured man may likewise be able to file a personal injury claim for damages such as medical expenses and lost wages.
Source: ajc.com, Police ID good Samaritan killed while changing tire on I-20 in DeKalb County, Mike Morris and John Spink, Feb. 19, 2014
