It’s been close to three months since the tragic accident occurred involving a van full of church-goers was returning from a weekend trip away. There were two fatalities in the accident, as Knoxville residents likely recall, and the young man driving the other car was arrested shortly after being discharged from nearby hospital on several criminal charges. That man was arraigned earlier this morning and the charges brought against him included several counts of vehicular homicide.
The 21-year-old man is still in custody, held on a bond of $2 million, one source details. His plea has been reported to be scheduled for a spring 2013 date. He was also said to have been indicted on several other charges by the grand jury of Sevier County earlier this year. Those charges include DUI, nine vehicular assault counts and the vehicular homicide charges.
The families of those who were injured or lost in this crash could use the information decided on in his criminal charges in their own civil suits, should they choose to. Wrongful death may be a path they wish to take in the wake of their loved one’s deaths, especially if they are suffering from the extra financial burden of having lost an income along with their family member.
The people returning from their retreat belonged to the Baptist Church in Cedar Grove. One of the two passengers killed was a 16-year-old girl and the other was a 45-year-old man. For other Tennessee residents who have lost someone to an accident similar to this one, making sure that you understand all of the options available to you as you begin to move forward from the tragedy could help you with the healing process. Should you wish to pursue a suit of personal injury or wrongful death, contacting legal counsel could help you with your case.
Source: knoxnews.com, “Man arraigned in double-fatality wreck involving church van,” Jim Balloch, Dec. 3, 2012
· Our firm handles personal injury cases involving motor vehicle accidents. To learn more, visit the automobile accident page on our Prior, Priest & Harber website.