People all over the Twin Cities were devastated when they learned that a young woman was recently killed by a hit-and-run driver. Sadly, these accidents are not uncommon, and neither is the horrible decision that the driver made to flee the scene of the bicycle accident.
In the most recent accident, a 24-year-old woman was riding her bicycle in Uptown Minneapolis. The 24-year-old driver barreled through a stop sign at an intersection and crashed into the woman. He then fled the scene of the accident. His decision not to stop and help his victim was just one of the multiple reckless behaviors he exhibited that night.
The driver was tearing through the streets without his headlights on and speeding right before he raced through the intersection. Police would later discover that the driver should never have been behind the wheel of a car in the first place. His driver’s license had been revoked.
The bicyclist was serious injured in the accident and witnesses called the police. She was taken to the hospital, but was unable to recover from her injuries and died shortly after being brought in. Often times, victims of bicycle accidents suffer serious injuries when they are hit by the car because they do not have the same type of protection that a motor vehicle provides.
Police were able to use witness statements and car parts left at the scene of the accident to track down the driver, who later admitted to his role in the accident. He is facing criminal charges of criminal vehicular homicide.
Whether or not he is convicted on the criminal charges, it is important for people who are in a similar situation to remember that victims and their families can also file a civil claim against a negligent or reckless driver. In many cases, the lawsuits can result in compensation for the victims and additional punishment for the party responsible.
Source: CBS Minnesota, “Man Charged With Criminal Vehicular Homicide In Uptown Hit-&-Run,” Esme Murphy, July 9, 2013