Louisiana Man May Have Been Impaired at Time of Fatal Car Wreck

The Louisiana State Police say that a 31-year-old driver may have been impaired when he got onto I-12 heading westbound recently. It was this impairment that may be to blame for the car wreck police say he caused. Another Louisiana man died as a result of the accident.
The accident occurred when the allegedly impaired driver attempted to move from the right lane of the Interstate into the left lane in order to avoid a car that was stopped on the shoulder. At the last moment, he noticed a car was already in the lane. Both vehicles swerved to avoid colliding.
The driver police believe was impaired was able to regain control and kept going. However, the other car careened across the median and the eastbound lanes of the Interstate and ended up coming to a stop on the opposite shoulder. The driver did not survive the injuries he sustained in the crash.
The Louisiana State Police report that Livingston Parish deputies were able to locate the allegedly impaired driver and bring him back to the scene. The driver was then arrested and taken to the Parish prison. Once there, he was booked on charges of DWI, hit-and-run, vehicular homicide, and improper lane usage.
The family of the deceased driver retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against the driver regardless of the outcome of the criminal charges. However, should the driver be convicted of a crime in connection with this fatal car wreck, that conviction may be offered as evidence in civil court of the driver’s negligence. Nothing will bring back their loved one, but a successful wrongful death action may help the family move on financially. Expenses such as medical expenses and funeral costs are recoverable in a wrongful death action once liability is established, in addition to any other damages allowed by law.