Honolulu police reported that a crash on the island of Oahu on Jan. 9 was the fourth traffic fatality in 2018, compared to only one in the first nine days of 2017. Law enforcement reported that alcohol and speed are suspected to have been involved in this crash. Sadly, this was one of those auto accidents in which an alleged drunk driver caused the death of a passenger.
According to an accident report, a 27-year-old pickup truck driver and two passengers were eastbound on a Hauula road shortly before 4:30 a.m. It is suspected that the driver lost control of the vehicle on a curve in the road. The pickup truck careened off the roadway and smashed into a tree before it rolled over.
Firefighters and emergency services responded and proceeded to extricate the three occupants from the vehicle. They were rushed to a hospital where the 18-year-old male passenger succumbed to his injuries. The driver and a 22-year-old female passenger were both initially reported to be in critical condition. However, subsequent reports indicated that their updated conditions were serious.
Whenever passengers are killed in auto accidents that resulted from the negligence or impairment of the drivers, the surviving family members may have grounds for civil lawsuits. If there is sufficient proof of negligence on the part of the driver, the family may file a wrongful death claim against that person. If the Honolulu court can establish liability, it might enter a monetary judgment to cover documented claims for medical and end-of-life expenses, along with other financial losses and emotional damages suffered by the remaining family members.
Source: staradvertiser.com, “Speed, alcohol factors in fatal Hauula crash“, Jan. 9, 2018
