Before stating an ex-police officer’s sentence, a Connecticut judge said, “You should have known better.” The former Windsor Locks officer now faces five years and four months in prison, a short sentence for his crime: He hit and killed a 15-year old bicyclist after deciding to drive drunk.
The ex-officer was going 70 mph down a residential street when he hit the teenager. According to witnesses, he had been drinking for quite some time before the accident. He pleaded no contest to second-degree manslaughter, which allowed him to make a plea bargain with prosecutors.
Yet, prosecutors could not charge the ex-officer with DUI because officers did not do a blood test. According to authorities, the officer’s own father, also a police Sergeant, responded to the accident. He and other officers at the scene failed to test the man’s blood alcohol level or question him about DUI.
Wrongful death after a drunk driving accident
In addition to the criminal conviction, the family was able to bring a wrongful death suit against the ex-officer. The suit settled for $420,000. Generally, certain family members can recover compensation for the following damages through a wrongful death claim:
- Medical bills
- Funeral expenses
- The value of the victim’s lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
The family also brought a lawsuit against the owner of the tavern that continued to provide alcohol to the drunk driver even after he was visibly drunk. This type of lawsuit falls under the “Dram Shop Act,” a law that requires liquor providers to stop serving alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person. Plaintiffs can recover up to $250,000 under the Dram Shop Act.
Of course, no amount of time in prison or money can compensate a family for the loss of their loved one. As the family put it, the officer “took something precious and priceless from us. Our lives will never be the same.”
Source: Boston.com, “Ex-officer gets 5 years in prison for fatal crash,” Dave Collins, Aug. 27, 2012.
Learn more about DUI crashes by visiting our page on drunk driving accidents.