Louisiana man dies in suspected drunk driving car accident

Running out of gas on the highway can be irritating and, sometimes, downright scary. For instance, a Louisiana man ran out of gas at 1:30 a.m. on Interstate 10 recently. The vehicle stalled in a lane of travel, so he had to get out of the vehicle in order to move it. It was then that he was hit and killed in what police suspect was a car accident caused by a drunk driver.

The passenger sitting in the stalled vehicle as the driver pushed it suffered only minor injuries. According to the county coroner, the victim died from numerous blunt force injuries. The 37-year-old woman driving the vehicle that hit him claimed to be a designated driver that night.

However, police say that her behavior indicated that she had been drinking. She seemed to sway back and forth as she walked and did not sufficiently pass field sobriety tests administered by officers on the scene. Last, but not least, a breath test indicated her blood alcohol level to be .113 percent. She was arrested and booked into the East Parish Jail on suspicion of negligent vehicular injuring and driving while intoxicated.

In addition to criminal charges, the woman could also find herself being sued in a civil action for wrongful death. The family of the decedent has the right to file such an action, seeking damages that typically arise from a deadly car accident. The family may receive financial restitution for damages permitted under Louisiana law if they are able to prove that the driver’s negligence caused the death of their loved one.

Source: wafb.com, “Police: Stranded motorist killed by suspected drunk driver“, , July 26, 2014