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Charges filed against driver who caused fatal crash

On Behalf of | Apr 24, 2014 | Car Accidents |

Charges were filed on April 17 against a driver who was accused of causing a fatal car accident that left an off-duty police officer dead. The authorities stated that the man, an employee of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, was driving a state-owned vehicle at the time of the accident. He was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and driving left of center.

The crash occurred on April 15 on Wilson Street in Tarboro. The authorities claimed that the 29-year-old employee was driving an excavator truck east on Wilson Street when, at approximately 8:50 a.m., he crossed over the center line into oncoming traffic. He reportedly struck the 46-year-old officer’s vehicle head-on in the driver-side windshield, and both vehicles came to rest on the side of the road. The officer, a 24-year veteran of the Tarboro police department, was killed at the scene of the crash, and the NCDOT worker was not injured.

Fatal car accidents often leave the deceased person’s family members or relatives with expensive medical or funeral costs combined with a loss of income. However, if they are eligible, the family members may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the accused driver. Because the defendant in this particular case was on the job when the deadly crash occurred, the family may file a lawsuit against the company that the employee worked for as well.

In this case, the plaintiffs may be able to seek compensation for a number of damages associated with the accident. For example, they may be eligible to recover the costs of the funeral, loss of income from the deceased officer and loss of companionship, depending upon their relationship to the deceased person.

Source: WCTI, ‘Tarboro police officer killed in wreck is laid to rest, Troopers: Excavator crossed center line, hit officer’s van,” 04/18/2014

Source: Daily Southerner, “Charges filed in fatal accident“, Calvin, April 18, 2014

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