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A woman was recently sentenced in connection with an Arizona crash that occurred in late 2017 along Interstate 10. The car accident led to two deaths. Sometimes, car accidents stem from a driver’s recklessness behind the wheel, which may lead to criminal charges but is also grounds for civil litigation in Arizona.
The fatal accident occurred when the woman apparently decided to drive while intoxicated. Authorities reported that she rear-ended a sport utility vehicle, which caused it to land in the interstate’s opposite lanes. One person was ejected from the car and died, and another person in the automobile also died.
Police who responded to the crash scene said that the woman at fault was holding a young child at the time of the crash and smelled like alcohol. At the time, police said that her speech was slurred as well. In addition, she almost threw up while trying to speak to officers. Her blood alcohol content was .205. Following the crash, the woman pleaded guilty to a couple of manslaughter counts and received a sentence of 14 years behind prison bars.
If somebody is killed in a motor vehicle accident stemming from another person’s alleged negligence or recklessness, it is within the rights of the deceased victim’s loved ones to file a wrongful death claim against the reportedly at-fault party, seeking damages. If the person who is believed to have caused the crash ends up being criminally charged and then convicted, proof of the conviction may be presented in civil court with the goal of establishing liability for the accident-related death. A successfully fought claim may lead to damages that might help with addressing burial costs and other losses resulting from these types of car accidents in Arizona.