A car accident is bad enough. However, when the car accident is caused by drunk driving and causes a fatality, the results can be even more tragic, especially since the accident may have been easily avoided. A Deville woman was tragically killed on April 12, and the man who caused the accident has since been accused of drunk driving in connection with the fatal incident.

The accident happened on Louisiana Highway 115 around 10:50 p.m. in Deville. The alleged drunk driver was driving a Ford pickup truck southbound when he struck the 66-year-old pedestrian, who had been standing near the southbound lane. The victim was taken to Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria after the accident, but she did not survive her injuries.

The driver first fled the scene of the accident, but he later turned himself in to the police and reported the fatal crash. He was formally charged with DWI, vehicular homicide and hit-and-run, and authorities were said to be awaiting the toxicology tests for the man. The DWI is apparently his second DWI charge, though no information on any prior offense was immediately available.

Drunk driving is clearly dangerous and can often lead to a serious car accident. For the family and loved ones of this woman, there is nothing that can be done to atone for the loss. As the family copes with its grief and seeks answers, they may turn to Louisiana civil courts in an attempt to ensure the driver faces full accountability for any negligence. A successful wrongful death claim may include reimbursement for medical costs and funeral expenses, as well as pain and suffering occasioned by the senseless crash. Further, in those instances where a negligent party is found to have acted with reckless disregard for the victim, a claim for punitive damages is possible as well.

Source: The Town Talk, "Crash kills Deville pedestrian; driver faces DWI, vehicular homicide charges," April 13, 2012