Many people believe that actions should have consequences that are proportional to what was done. If the penalty is not thought to be adequate, it can make the people seeking justice feel as if their wishes or needs were not taken into consideration. The widow of an Ohio man who was killed in a fatal car accident last year says she knows firsthand what that feels like.
The woman spoke outside the courtroom where the man who allegedly killed her husband pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of vehicular manslaughter. He had originally faced felony charges for his role in the fatal accident. The charge that remained after the plea bargaining process was not enough, according to the woman. She says she intends to continue her quest for justice.
The woman’s husband died after his car was struck by the pickup truck driven by the defendant. He reportedly disregarded a stop sign and drove through the intersection. He collided with the vehicle driven by the man who later died. The pickup truck was forced into a nearby field, not far from the decedent’s car.
The man whose car was struck suffered serious injuries in the accident. He did not survive and was later pronounced dead at the accident’s location. The man thought responsible also suffered injuries, but they were not considered serious, according to reports. A passenger in his truck was taken by air ambulance to an Ohio hospital. An update on his condition was not available at the time of this report.
Sentencing is expected to take place in June. The offense for which the man pleaded guilty has a maximum penalty of about six months in jail. The woman, who is still mourning the loss of her husband in this fatal car accident, says she intends to continue her fight for justice. She retains the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the man who reportedly ran the stop sign and took her husband’s life. A successfully litigated claim cannot replace her loved one, but it could help hold accountable the man responsible for her loss.
Source: The Marion Star, “Guilty plea was not justice for widow of car crash victim“, Nick Bechtel, May 15, 2014