You often hear of drunk driving accidents and are probably familiar with reading about the victims on both sides of the law. Those physically injured or killed are mourned, their lives cut tragically short after committing no crime, simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And then sometimes you also hear a voice speaking on behalf of the person who made the decision to drive drunk. For whatever reason, with decision-making abilities greatly impaired, these offenders single-handedly wipe out lives, destroy futures and shoulder the burden of guilt. The offender faces criminal charges and serious consequences.
But what happens when the drunk driver, whose vehicle collides with a group of promising young bystanders, is a police officer?
How do you make sense of that? How do you even process such an event? Friends and families are left to figure that out after a young MIT student and his friends were struck while walking in Brooklyn recently.
The off-duty officer was scheduled to work only a few hours later when he lost control of his SUV and drove up onto the sidewalk, colliding with four pedestrians. Reportedly, when he realized he could not escape through his driver’s side door, he slid into the passenger seat where a bystander held the door closed.
One young man from MIT who was interning in the city lost his life. His friends were seriously injured. And like every other drunk driving accident, it is guaranteed to be a tragedy for all. Even those police officers who spent the evening drinking with the off-duty cop were reportedly punished for their involvement.
If you lost a loved one to a drunk driver or if you were seriously injured by one, you have grounds for remuneration. Nobody should have to be victimized by a fate so cruel and any players who had a hand in the tragedy’s cause should be held accountable. A New Jersey personal injury attorney will be able to listen to your case and may be able to improve your circumstances while advocating on the behalf of those who pay the ultimate price.
Source: NYPost.com, “Cops who partied with rookie in deadly crash punished by NYPD,” Shawn Cohen, Tina Moore, Bruce Golding, July 19, 2016