Everyone knows that lives can change or end in a split second, sometimes due to someone else’s wrongdoing. Most people, however, do not think tragic events like car crashes will ever happen to them. Unfortunately, last fall, a Pennsylvania couple returning from a shopping trip were killed when a speeding driver hit their vehicle, sending it off the road and into two poles. The driver now faces serious charges. The victims’ families are struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss of their loved ones and likely have grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Driver makes unsafe lane change
The horrific crash happened on Interstate 81 early one October evening in 2020. According to Pennsylvania State Police, the victims were traveling south toward Enola when another vehicle made an unsafe lane change and hit them. The victims’ car left the road and hit two poles, killing both occupants, a middle-aged couple.
Crash caused by human error
Reportedly, at the scene, the 19-year-old driver who caused the crash gave police false information about his speed at the time of the crash and other details about his actions, but later he changed his statement. Investigators calculated he had been traveling at 109 mph in a 55–mph zone at the time of the crash, and they determined the crash was caused by human error. The driver has since been charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter, as well as several summary offenses.
Sadly, two people have died, apparently as a result of this driver’s recklessness. Undoubtedly, the victims’ family members are grieving, but they are also probably angry and frustrated knowing how easily this tragedy could have been prevented. Aside from criminal charges already in place, the victims’ families may want to pursue the matter through the Pennsylvania civil justice system. Of course, nothing can change what has already happened, but a successfully litigated wrongful death lawsuit may lead to accountability and help the families recoup monetary losses resulting from the crash. In Pennsylvania, as in all other states, attorneys experienced in this area of the law are available to review case details and discuss options moving forward.