Police: Louisiana Teen Tries to Blame Car Wreck on Dead Passenger

Police say that the first time they questioned a Louisiana teen about the car accident in which he was involved, he denied that he was the driver. Instead, he said that the other 17-year-old boy in the car had been driving. The other teen could not deny the allegation since he died in the car wreck.
The accident occurred when the teen driver passed a truck in a no-passing zone. As the vehicle re-entered the lane, the rear portion of his car clipped the front of the truck. This caused the driver to lose control of his car, run off the road and overturn.
The 17-year-old passenger in the vehicle was ejected. His injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The teen who police say was actually driving the vehicle has been charged with obstruction of justice and negligent homicide.
The parents of the deceased passenger retain the right to file a wrongful death claim in connection with their son’s death in this car wreck. However, the family may benefit from seeking advice regarding filing such an action due to the potential complexities. If the driver is convicted of the criminal charges now pending against him, proof of that conviction may be offered as evidence in a related wrongful death lawsuit on the issue of liability. In the civil action, the family will need to prove that the driver acted negligently in a manner that caused or contributed to the fatality. Filing a civil suit won’t bring their son back, but a successful result may give the family some measure of justice for the loss of a family member whose life had barely begun.