Driving drunk in Atlanta is bad enough, but when a person is a repeat offender, that crosses the line into sheer reckless behavior. Each time a person is convicted of a DUI in Georgia, the penalties get stiffer and stiffer. This is done in order to try to get people to think about the consequences of drinking and driving. Although the consequences can be severe for repeat DUI offenders, there are some that never seem to learn. This can be hard for those who are injured as a result of a drunk driver to accept.
The family of a man who was killed in a car crash caused by a drunk driver who has two previous DUI convictions on his record may be questioning the effectiveness of those convictions, especially since the intoxicated driver was an Atlanta public works employee and driving a city garbage truck at the time. The 54-year-old was a passenger in the truck and was thrown out when it turned over after coming off 1-75 southbound.
The 56-year-old driver of the truck apparently tried to change lanes too quickly and swerved when he attempted to exit the freeway. As a result, he lost control of the truck, and it rolled. When authorities arrived on the scene, they found a bottle of vodka that was half full in front of the truck. The man was charged with DUI, first-degree homicide by vehicle and other traffic violations.
The family of the man killed in this accident may wish to speak with a personal injury attorney about their right to compensation for the death of their loved one.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Atlanta public works employee charged in fatal accident,” Marcus K. Garner, Nov. 13, 2013
