Grieving father laments lack of penalty for tragic car accidents

Few things in life are as eagerly anticipated as the birth of a child. Sadly, too often, parents are faced with the nightmare of losing a beloved child as well as other family members in senseless car accidents. One California father has called for changes after the man who caused a fatal collision received a maximum 10 years in prison for a drunk driving conviction.

The tragic accident occurred last September as the pregnant mother of four was headed down a California roadway. According to the police report, the woman’s vehicle was struck head-on by another driver who was intoxicated. Police located the driver walking around his vehicle while live-streaming the aftermath of the crash. Emergency responders rushed to extinguish the flames in the woman’s minivan before they could safely extricate her and transport her by helicopter to a local hospital.

The mother was eight months pregnant, and the fetus died in the collision. The mother was also critically injured and died from her injuries the following day. The driver who struck her car received only minor injuries in the crash. He was reportedly displaying signs of intoxication when police assessed his condition at the scene of the wreck.

Though the man — who was a champion boxer — initially pleaded not guilty to charges of gross vehicular manslaughter, he later changed his plea to guilty and was sentenced to the state maximum of 10 years. The grieving father is calling for change in California’s laws regarding both the refusal to consider the loss of a fetus as a person and the refusal to consider impaired driving as an intent to cause harm. Those who have lost loved ones in these type of horrific car accidents may never fully recover emotionally from their losses. Along with the psychological harm these types of crashes cause, many surviving families struggle with the economical burdens these collisions cause. An experienced attorney can provide guidance in pursuing compensation for these damages through the state’s civil justice system.