At the age of 22, a person should have the majority of his or her life ahead. It is truly sad when that life is cut short — especially when the decedent was not the one at fault. For a young Ohio woman who died recently in a fatal car accident, that appears to have been what happened.
The accident occurred when a 40-year-old Ohio man allegedly drove the wrong way on an exit ramp. His vehicle collided with an oncoming car. The driver of the car suffered serious injuries and was taken to an area hospital. No updated condition was available at the time of this report. A passenger in the car — a 22-year-old Ohio woman — died as a result of injuries she suffered in the collision.
The man thought responsible was also injured in the accident. Police say he may have consumed too much alcohol prior to driving. They are waiting for his blood work results and may add DUI charges to those he’s facing, depending on what is shown by the testing.
The man missed his first court appearance because he was still in the hospital at the time for which it was scheduled. He was listed in good condition at the time of this report. His arraignment has been rescheduled and bond has been set for $200,000.
Regardless of whether drunk driving is added to the roster of charges the man faces, the family of the woman he allegedly killed in this fatal car accident retain the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against him. The driver who suffered serious harm has the right to file a personal injury lawsuit as well. Successfully litigated claims cannot change what happened, but they could provide the means needed to move past this tragic accident.
Source: Cleveland.com, “Update: Man accused in deadly wrong-way collision in Cleveland faces $200,000 bond“, Cory Shaffer, April 9, 2014