Car accidents are just that. Unless someone means to hurt someone else with a vehicle, it is rare that the results of a crash result in an arrest. Even in cases in which a driver is at fault, criminal charges are rare unless a driver’s negligence is ruled to be a criminal act.
A fatal accident in Virginia Beach did result in an arrest after it caused the death of a worker on the side of the highway. A man was driving eastbound on Interstate 64 when he lost control of his vehicle and attempted to compensate and struck an embankment. The force of the collision threw the car into the air, where it struck a survey crew member preparing a new public works project.
Two months of investigation by local authorities determined that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the crash and did not have a valid driver’s license. If true, this act constitutes negligence that could warrant criminal charges. He was then arrested for involuntary manslaughter and other offenses related to the accident.
The family of the 23-year-old victim may claim financial damages to help with the difficult road of recovery ahead and secure the future of people he may have supported. A criminal conviction may make it easier to push a civil case to a settlement or verdict, but civil cases are possible regardless of criminal charges.
An attorney can help review the possibility of a civil suit for damages. Although this may not feel like much comfort after a loss, it is often helpful in the present and future.