A 22-year old Glasgow, Montana man is facing several felony charges arising out of a fatal car wreck that took place in May near Dewey. The man has been charged with vehicular homicide for driving under the influence and causing the death of one of his passengers in the car accident. He also faces two felony counts of negligent vehicular assault, and several misdemeanors including driving under the influence.
The man was driving east on Highway 43 in a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix with several passengers. He lost control and crashed into a wall on the side of the road. The car flew through the air for 68 feet and rolled over multiple times. One of his passengers, a 21-year-old Montana Tech student, was killed in the crash. Two other passengers, ages 20 and 24, were seriously injured. A fourth passenger — a 21-year-old who was the only one wearing a seat belt — survived the crash with minor injuries.
Accidents like this are tragic because they are so preventable. A person who chooses to drink to the point of intoxication and get behind the wheel of a car knows, or should know, that they are putting the lives and safety of others at serious risk.
Injured victims of drunk drivers, and the families of those who are killed, may get some sense of justice from a criminal conviction and sentence for the drunk driver. In addition, those who are injured have the right to bring a civil lawsuit for personal injury and recover compensation for medical expenses, disability, loss of income, and pain and suffering. In the case of a fatal accident, the family has the right to bring a lawsuit for damages under Montana’s wrongful death statute.
Source: Billings Gazette, “Glasgow man charged in May fatal crash near Dewey,” John Grant Emeigh, Oct. 9, 2012
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