Following a tragic motor vehicle accident that results in the loss of life, loved ones may justifiably look for someone to blame. While often the poor choices of one driver resulted in the crash, the driver may not be the only person responsible for the death of a loved one. One father in Florida is learning just how deep the heartache can go. He has filed a wrongful death lawsuit after losing his daughter in an accident caused by a drunk driver with a history of DUI convictions.
The family of the 21-year-old victim described her as funny, independent and kind. She died in a horrific accident when a 50-year-old man drove a pickup truck head-on into hers. Authorities declared her dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was airlifted to a local hospital, and police arrested him after his release. His blood alcohol content was allegedly over three times the legal limit.
A pattern of violations and enabling
According to police records, the man’s license had been suspended at least twice before for multiple alcohol violations. One suspension resulted from his refusal to submit to a breath test. In 2014, the state suspended his license indefinitely because his DUI record included at least four convictions.
At the time of this accident, however, the man was driving a vehicle he borrowed from a friend. The father of the victim contends that the friend who loaned the habitual drunk driver her truck is just as culpable for his daughter’s death as the driver. His wrongful death lawsuit claims the woman was negligent to loan the vehicle to the man.