Ontario man charged after fatal accident

Ontario Provincial Police laid charges against a 23-year-old man who was allegedly responsible for a July 12 accident that resulted in the death of one person and the hospitalization of two others. Investigators believe that alcohol was a contributing factor in the accidental death of one of the passengers in the vehicle.

The accident occurred on Concession Road 9 in Nation Township around 3 a.m. Police believe that the 23-year-old Alexandria man who was driving the car, which was reported stolen, was impaired at the time of the crash. One of the five passengers in the vehicle, a 24-year-old Casselman man, died at the scene. One man suffered life-threatening injuries, and reports indicated that he was still hospitalized in critical condition as of July 14. One passenger suffered undisclosed injuries that were not life threatening. He was treated and released from a hospital.

Police took the driver of the car into custody. He is facing seven charges, including two counts each of impaired driving causing bodily harm and dangerous driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death, impaired driving causing death and one charge of theft of a motor vehicle. He was scheduled to appear in a L’Orignal court on July 16. One report indicated that other people involved could also face charges.

Drunk driving accidents affect thousands of families each year, leaving surviving children, spouses and parents of deceased victims to grieve as they struggle to cope with burial expenses, medical bills and other damages resulting from their loved ones’ deaths. These families might seek compensation from negligent drivers by filing civil claims. Such claims are possible even if the at-fault parties are already facing criminal charges.

Source: eCanadaNow, “23-year-old Man Responbile for Fatal Crash Charged by Police”, Jason Marin, July 14, 2014