Any kind of accident involving a motor vehicle can change a family’s world forever. When the accident is caused by an impaired driver, the pain may be even greater, as the family struggles to cope with the consequences of someone else’s poor decision. One Arizona family may be dealing with this kind of heartbreak after a man lost his life while walking along the sidewalk. Authorities say this pedestrian accident was caused by an underage drunk driver.
According to officials, the accident happened on a recent late evening when a 35-year-old man and an unidentified companion were walking on a sidewalk. The 20-year-old driver of a car is accused of driving onto the sidewalk and hitting the man. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead there. The person he had been walking with was uninjured.
Authorities say that the driver left the scene of the accident and eventually abandoned his vehicle. He allegedly came back to the accident scene, displaying signs of impairment. Police arrested him and charged him with a DUI, manslaughter, leaving the scene of a fatal accident and endangerment.
When a pedestrian accident like this one occurs, it is especially tragic, since it may have been entirely preventable. The family of the Arizona man who died may decide to file a civil claim against the driver, no matter what the outcome of his criminal charges may be. The family could be granted a monetary award that could offset any outstanding costs that may have resulted from the accident.
