A young Tennessee man killed in a fatal DUI crash on Highway 385 near Rivervale would have turned 25 next month. He left behind a six-year-old daughter and a wife who were not in the car with him when the fatal accident occurred. As reported by WREG Channel 3 News, the alleged cause of the crash was another Tennessee man who was allegedly driving while intoxicated and out on bail for a previous DUI offense. He also fled the scene of the accident.
A witness saw the driver who caused the accident speeding past at about 100 mph. When officers caught up with him, they smelled alcohol and the driver displayed the typical tell-tale signs of intoxication. He admitted to having caused the crash that killed the young father. Officers detained the driver, who now faces charges for multiple offenses, including vehicular homicide and DUI.
The news team reporting on the tragic accident obtained documents showing a Collierville court charged the intoxicated driver six weeks earlier for another DUI. His payment of a $750 bond enabled him to get out of jail and return to the road prior to causing the fatal crash. According to data compiled by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the year 2018 saw more than 1,800 vehicle crashes caused by alcohol impairment. The THP also made close to 7,000 arrests for DUI during the same year. Out of the overall 29,186 crashes occurring in Tennessee in 2018, more than one third resulted in injuries or fatalities.
Whether the cause is driver negligence, such as DUI or distracted driving, involvement in a vehicle accident can result in drivers and passengers — sometimes pedestrians and cyclists — battling serious and debilitating injuries. When catastrophic injuries or wrongful deaths result from a driver’s negligence or recklessness, a legal action may help survivors and injured individuals cope with the extremely difficult circumstances.