Criminal charges follow fatal drunk driving accident

For Connecticut drivers, there are few prospects more frightening than encountering a drunk driver while out on the roads. Impaired drivers cause a multitude of serious auto accidents in any given year, and many Connecticut residents lose their lives as a result of the poor choices of another driver. Two families may be able to move closer to a sense of closure with the news that the man who caused a fatal drunk driving accident will face criminal charges in the matter.

The arrest and charges come more than seven months after the crash that took the lives of three elderly women. The man whom police believe is responsible for their deaths is 52 years old, and was seriously injured during the crash. He encountered the women’s’ vehicle when he entered I-95 heading the wrong direction. The resulting head-on collision left all three women dead, and led to the need for as many as five surgeries for the drunk driver.

He is now charged with multiple counts, including second degree manslaughter. In addition, he will face charges of driving while under the influence, driving the wrong way on a divided highway and other related charges. He is being held on a $750,000 bond.

As this case makes its way through the Connecticut criminal court process, the families of the women who were killed in this drunk driving accident may find a measure of justice in the outcome. In many cases, criminal charges help surviving family members to feel as if their loss has been acknowledged by the legal system. However, should they decide to move forward with wrongful death suits against the driver, they have the right to do so.

Source: 

NBC Connecticut, “Arrest in Triple-Fatal Wrong-Way Crash in Old Lyme,” Aug. 2, 2013