Woman indicted almost a year after fatal accident
On behalf of Aldridge & Aldridge Law Firm | Dec 15, 2017 | Car Accidents
Sometimes after an accident in which someone was seriously injured or even killed, it can appear as if justice has not been served. But while the wheels of justice may appear to move very slowly, it can be because investigators are assembling an air-tight case against the alleged offender.
Such may be the case in Fayette County, where just this month, the grand jury indicted a driver on a second-degree charge of felony manslaughter almost one year after a fatal accident. She also was indicted for no operator's license and driving while under the influence of a drug. If convicted of the felony, she could face between five and 10 years behind bars.
The collision was initiated when the driver's vehicle crossed over the median and struck a small SUV, Lexington police reported. Following the initial impact, other vehicles collided, including a tanker truck.
The multiple-vehicle collision happened last New Year's Eve. One 35-year-old man, a member of the Air Force Reserves who had served in Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, succumbed to his injuries after four days in the University of Kentucky's Chandler Hospital.
According to the grand jury indictment, the woman "wantonly operated" her vehicle and caused the airman's death. She is also alleged to have been operating the car while she was impaired by an unnamed substance.
A total of five drivers and their passengers were treated at area hospitals following the four-vehicle accident that closed the inbound lanes of Newton Pike for nearly five hours. The pile-up happened in the area located between Nandino and Citation Boulevards.
No arraignment date has been set for the accused woman to make an appearance in Fayette Circuit Court.
Delays in justice can be a frustrating experience for victims and their survivors. Some may find a path to closure by taking civil action against at-fault drivers through the Kentucky courts.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader, "A man died nearly a year ago after a crash. Now, a driver faces a manslaughter charge," Greg Kocher, Dec. 12, 2017