When an individual who has been drinking makes the decision to drive, they endanger not only their own life, but also the lives of other drivers and pedestrians they encounter. A 23-year-old man was recently convicted on charges related to a fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred when the man was drinking and driving.
The accident occurred after the man and his 21-year-old girlfriend left a party in downtown Nashville. Realizing she was too drunk to drive, the 21-year-old woman gave her keys to her boyfriend even though she knew he too was drunk.
The fatal hit-and-run accident occurred when the 23-year-old was driving down Nashville's Music Row. He struck two young men who were attempting to cross the street. Knowing he had hit the men and that he was drunk, the man attempted to flee the scene of the accident. He ended up losing control of the motor vehicle and colliding into a taxi head-on.
The 23-year-old driver has been charged with criminal charges including vehicular homicide. Additionally, his 21-year-old girlfriend also faces charges related to vehicular homicide and assault for allowing her boyfriend to drive despite knowing he was also legally drunk.
The mother of one of the young men killed has brought a lawsuit against the hosts of the party at which both the 23-year-old driver and 21-year-old passenger attended and consumed alcohol. Also named in the lawsuit is Nashville's Metro Government who the mother alleges failed to ensure proper signs warning oncoming motorists of pedestrians were in place.
Source: The Tennessean, "Car owner, driver indicted in December hit-and-run," Bobby Allyn, Aug. 15, 2012