Deadly DWI Driver Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison
In June 2014, a horrific tragedy occurred on a highway in Houston, Texas. Recently, a 16-year-old girl who survived the loss of her family in the fatal car accident spoke to the man who pleaded guilty to intoxicated manslaughter in the case. The young woman’s appearance in court comes after months of physicians believing that she would not survive.
The horrendous accident took place last year on a Houston tollway. The man, who has since pleaded guilty to drunk driving, was driving in the wrong direction on the road when he crashed into the truck that was carrying the teenage girl and her family. The girl’s parents and three siblings were killed. The teen lay in a coma for three months.
Recently, the driver of the pickup truck pleaded guilty to five counts of intoxicated manslaughter, as well as one count of intoxicated assault. It was reported that the teen spoke to him in the courtroom. She described her physical suffering and the unspeakable grief she suffered from the loss of her family due to his wrongful actions behind the wheel.
A Minor and Family can Pursue Financial Justice with the Help of an Attorney
When a minor is the only surviving victim of a fatal car accident in which his or her parents were killed, he or she will be appointed a legal guardian by the state. Should a guardian wish to pursue a personal injury claim and wrongful death claims on the minor’s behalf, he or she can do so regardless of whether the negligent driver who caused the accident is convicted of criminal charges. However, when a criminal conviction occurs, the conviction may support the claims filed in a Texas civil court, resulting in compensation being awarded.
Source: houstonchronicle.com, “Deadly DWI driver sentenced to 50 years in prison“, Lauren Talarico, March 24, 2015
