Tragedy struck on July 28 after a 14-year-old boy was killed in a serious crash. Colorado authorities responsible for fatal motor vehicle accidents determined the fault lay with the 18-year-old driver who they believe may have been drunk at the time of the accident. He now faces multiple charges in connection with the tragedy.
The accident report states the 18-year-old was traveling southbound on a county road in a pickup truck that also carried the 14-year-old boy and an unidentified juvenile. Police believe no one in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt at the time. The driver was apparently driving erratically, speeding up and slowing down while fishtailing, before losing control of the vehicle altogether. The truck crossed the road several times before rolling.
The 14-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by arriving medical personnel. The second passenger’s injuries were not reported. The driver was taken to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries and was then arrested and charged with felony reckless driving, vehicular homicide, underage DUI and several other criminal accusations. So far, no court date has been announced.
In similar fatal motor vehicle accidents, Colorado authorities tend to prosecute fully those drivers believed to be responsible for the death or deaths that resulted. Apart from the criminal charges filed against the driver, the family of the deceased passenger are entitled to file a wrongful death suit against him and any other individuals with ownership interest in the vehicle. Such suits are considered civil in nature and typically use evidence garnered from the police investigation to bolster the claims in civil court.
Source: Akron News-Reporter, “Tragedy striked during Eastern Colorado Round-Up“, Alicia Berry, Aug. 3, 2016