Car Accidents on I-10 Do Not Always Involve Moving Vehicles

When a car breaks down on Interstate 10, a Louisiana driver’s first priority is to get his or her vehicle out of the flow of traffic. Often, this means getting onto the shoulder to either fix the problem or wait for a tow truck. So long as the vehicle is out of the flow of traffic, an attentive driver is in no danger. However, unfortunately, car accidents involving vehicles on the side of the road still occur.
For instance, in 2012, a tow truck was stopped on a bridge on Interstate 10 in Lake Charles. A 33-year-old man who was traveling on the interstate failed to see the tow truck for some reason and slammed into it. The driver was not alone in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
His passenger, a 27-year-old man, suffered injuries in the crash that turned out to be fatal. Authorities believed that the driver was impaired and that his impairment was a factor in the accident. Toxicology tests indicated that the driver had drugs in his system when he ran into the tow truck. He was subsequently charged with homicide by vehicle. On Dec. 1, 2014, he pleaded no contest to the charge.
Recently, he received a 20-year sentence, eight years of which were suspended. Not only criminal charges result from car accidents, however. A wrongful death claim filed in a Louisiana civil court could also be filed. Successfully proving that the death of a loved one was due to the negligence of another could result in an award of damages to help defray the unexpected costs associated with a victim’s premature death.