Most Arizona residents know about the risks of drunk driving. When drunk drivers are behind the wheel, they put their own lives at risk as well as the lives of others. In a recent drunk driving accident, a man killed a policeman who was returning home from work. The head-on collision occurred on a freeway in Phoenix.
The drunk driver, who was driving in the wrong lane, had a blood alcohol level of 0.238 percent. In Arizona, the limit is 0.08 percent. The 42-year old driver had almost driven 35 miles in the wrong lane when he hit the policeman. At one point, he was almost stopped by another police officer, but he managed to dodge him and continued in the wrong lane. The officer who was killed had 13 years of service and was a veteran of the police force.
Per court records, the drunk driver was charged with a criminal conspiracy two decades ago. The assault and burglary charges against him were later dismissed. A Mexico native, the man had entered the US without legal permission. The family members of the drunk driver said that he was drinking for a while before the accident and they even tried to stop him from venturing out but he did not listen to them.
It is tragic that the police officer that was heading home should get killed this way. His family was waiting for him to return and now they must cope with this loss. The family will need assistance in order to get their lives back. If he is found liable by a court of law, the drunk driver may have to pay compensation for his actions to the victim’s family. If a dispute arises, the family of the victim may choose to consult with an experienced Arizona attorney.
Source: Daily Herald, “Wrong-way driver in Arizona crash was drunk,” May 15, 2014