Two relatives of a professional football player perished in a tragic Louisiana car accident just a few hours after the Super Bowl concluded. Delanie Walker, a tight end for the 49ers, lost his aunt and uncle after a drunk driver slammed into their vehicle on the interstate highway. The couple was stopped on the side of the highway when the car accident occurred.

The impact of the crash caused both vehicles to catch fire, but the woman who struck the vehicle on the side of the road was able to exit her care with only minor injuries. At the same time, however, the athlete's aunt and uncle were not able to escape. Emergency crews were unable to extricate the man and woman from their vehicle until after the flames were extinguished.

Toxicology samples were taken from the at-fault driver and sent to be analyzed, yet she was arrested for DWI, reckless driving and homicide by vehicle. Walker ultimately turned to Twitter to discuss the tragic accident and post a picture with his relatives that was taken not long before the accident

Drunk driving car accidents are among the hardest to deal with because they are so easily preventable. Family members who have lost a loved one due to a drunk driver reserve often have the ability to seek recourse through the Louisiana civil courts. Doing so won't change the tragedy that occurred, but a successful claim could result in monetary compensation and a strong message to other drivers tempted to get behind the wheel after consuming too much alcohol. If a criminal conviction is achieved against the driver, that verdict may be offered as evidence of liability in a wrongful death lawsuit resulting from the fatal car accident.

Source: WAFB News, "49ers Delanie Walker's aunt and uncle killed in crash on I-10," Feb. 6, 2013