Formal Charges Filed in Louisiana Car Accident

A Louisiana grand jury recently handed down an indictment against a man for the injury of his passenger and the death of another driver. The man was charged with negligent vehicular injury in the first degree and vehicular homicide. The fatal car accident took place on June 22, 2013.
When Louisiana State Police arrived at the scene on that evening, the initial impression of troopers was that the accident was a head-on collision. The investigation confirmed their suspicions. According to the official report, the accused driver was heading east on Louisiana 2 when he veered into oncoming traffic. The truck then collided with the other vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle in the westbound lane suffered fatal injuries. The deputy coroner called to the scene pronounced the victim dead. The passenger in the eastbound truck suffered serious injuries. The extent of the damage to the truck required emergency personnel to free the passenger from the vehicle before he could be transported to a hospital.
According to Louisiana State Police, the accused driver admitted at the time to consuming alcohol after picking up his paycheck in Oak Grove. He was on his way home at the time of the crash. When he was arrested, he was charged with numerous crimes that have now been dismissed in lieu of the charges in the indictment.
Outside of the criminal proceedings, the driver could also face civil actions in connection with the fatal car accident. The family of the deceased driver may file a wrongful death claim against the driver. Further, the man’s passenger may also file a personal injury claim against him. Successfully litigated claims could result in the court awarding damages to the parties.