Man convicted, sent to prison for fatal drunk driving accident

A drunk driver who killed a couple who had just announced their plans to get married will spend up to 40 years in prison for his role in a deadly accident in the Reno area. The driver refused to plead guilty to the charges against him and instead took his case to a trial, where a jury convicted him. Reports indicate that the man will be able to get out of prison on parole after 14 years, but, of course, he will need to get approved for that privilege.

According to reports, the engaged couple was on their way home after going out for dinner and were passing through an intersection. The drunk driver, who was showing signs that he was under the influence immediately after the accident, ran a red light while traveling almost 90 miles per hour, slamming into the couple’s car and flipping it into a ditch that was close to the intersection.

While the man’s sentence hopefully gives the families of the victims some sense of justice, the reality is that sentencing the man to prison is not intended to compensate the victims, even though the death of their loved ones has probably cost them financially and has certainly been an emotional loss that ought to be compensated.

Fortunately, victims of drunk driving accidents and families who have lost loved ones have legal options to file wrongful death claims against the drivers who recklessly caused such a terrible tragedy. It is through this type of civil lawsuit that a family can get the justice they deserve by getting compensation for medical bills, funeral expenses, lost wages, non-economic damages like loss of companionship and, in some cases, punitive damages.