A 37-year-old man from Parrish died in a five-car accident on Interstate 275 in St. Petersburg caused by an alleged drunk driver.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the accident occurred shortly after 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, December 17, close to the Gandy Boulevard exit on the southbound lanes of the highway. The victim was stopped in the center lane due to heavy traffic at the time when a 46-year-old man failed to slow down, slamming into the back of the victim’s vehicle and causing a chain reaction that affected three other cars who were also stopped in traffic.
The man who failed to stop for the slowed traffic was charged by officers with DUI manslaughter and driving with a revoked license. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital where he passed from his injuries. One other person sustained injuries in the crash.
The drunk driver sustained minor injuries and was being held in police custody.
Drunk driving and “automatic” liability
In most personal injury cases, the claimant must be able to prove the defendant was liable if they are to recover any compensation. When these cases involve drunk driving convictions, however, the defendant becomes essentially “automatically” liable due to that conviction, as the presence of drunk driving constitutes reckless, negligent action on the driver’s part.
This means drunk drivers face both criminal and civil penalties for their actions, with those penalties escalating in severity when their actions cause severe injury or loss of life.
For more information about filing a personal injury claim against a drunk driver, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.