Georgia grand jury says reckless acts led to teen’s death

On Behalf of | Nov 26, 2014 | Uncategorized |

In July of this year, two Georgia teens were in a car accident, but only the driver survived. Recently, a grand jury indicted him, charging that his reckless acts led to the passenger’s death. He now faces charges of first-degree homicide by vehicle and reckless driving.

Reportedly, the 18-year-old driver was traveling at approximately 40 mph the posted speed limit at the time of the crash. As he attempted to navigate the vehicle around a curve, he lost control. The vehicle went off the road, flipped and slammed into numerous trees before it finally came to rest.

Both he and his 17-year-old passenger suffered injuries that required them to be taken to an area hospital. The passenger later died from her injuries. If the driver is able to post his bond — which is $25,000 — he will be subject to several restrictions. They include a curfew, no driving and limits on where he may go while he awaits trial. Georgia prosecutors report that these restrictions are typical in this type of case.

If they have not already done so, the family of the victim has the right to initiate a wrongful death lawsuit against the man as well. The accident report, indictment and evidence gathered from an independent investigation into the crash may be useful in seeking to prove that the negligent and reckless acts of the driver caused or substantially contributed to the death of their loved one. If the claim is successfully litigated, the family may be awarded damages sustained as a result of the young girl’s death.

Source: 41nbc.com, “Teen formally charged in fatal Bibb car accident”, Amanda Castro, Nov. 25, 2014