In a tragic accident, a man in a wheelchair was hit by an SUV and later died at the hospital. The man was crossing the road at approximately 10 pm and was not using a crosswalk. The general public assesses these facts as a mere accident and the possibility of criminal charges are far from consideration. However, Andrew Thomas has a special place in his heart for vehicular crimes and guaranteed he will have the case reviewed.
Car accidents have been charged as crimes when certain aggravating factors are present: intoxication of drivers, drag racing, excessive speed, red-light run, aggressive driving/vehicle used as a weapon. A car is considered a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument in Arizona. In the event that the county attorney can identify an aggravating factor, cases similar to this one may be charged as manslaughter, aggravated assault, and even second degree murder. No aggravating factors have been identified in this story. The driver should be safe from criminal prosecution; however, a civil case against her insurance company is likely to emerge. Story here.
Tags: vehicle crime, Wrongful Death