A 20-year-old Tennessee man awaited his official charge on Oct. 22 after being detained without bond and accused of criminal homicide. The charge stems from an incident during the early morning of Oct. 18. Prosecutors say that the defendant was driving a 2005 Ford Mustang when he ran over another man along Magnolia Court. The driver is said to have fled the scene, parked in a bank’s parking lot and returned to the scene of the accident.
Though prosecutors charged the defendant with criminal homicide in the death of the man, they reportedly believe that the driver accelerated before striking the decedent, and there are several charges, including first-degree murder and vehicular homicide, which can fall under the general statute. The defendant’s attorney reportedly asked that the state make a decision on which of these crimes his client would be facing.
Prior to the incident, both men had reportedly attended a party together, and witnesses at the gathering claimed that the defendant had been running from the scene. The defendant’s attorney insisted that this was after an alleged altercation. The victim was declared dead at an area hospital.
This incident is an example of how an individual can suffer fatal injuries through no fault of their own. Regardless of criminal charges presented in the case, the defendant might still be liable for careless driving in a wrongful death civil suit. Those who have lost loved ones due to the negligence of others can file a suit over the issue, and with legal help, they may be able to recover financial compensation for their loss.
Source: Herald Citizen, ‘Weekend murder victim identified” Rick Amburgey, Oct. 20, 2014
Source: Herald Citizen , “Murder suspect ‘wasn’t trying to kill’ victim“, October 22, 2014