Massachusetts teen charged after fatal car accident

One of the greatest milestones in a typical Massachusetts teenager’s life is attaining the coveted driver’s license. Unfortunately, the responsibility that comes with the license sometimes takes a back seat, leading to a disproportionate share of serious wrecks among teen drivers. A recent fatal car accident resulted in criminal charges for a teenage driver.

The accident shortly after 2:15 p.m. on a recent weekday in December. The 17-year-old victim was a passenger in the rear seat of a vehicle that was headed south on a local street in Northbridge. The driver of the car then slowed his speed for a school bus in the opposing travel lane.

The driver of the larger full-size pickup truck traveling behind the first car apparently did not reduce his own speed and caused a rear-end collision. The victim in the rear of car that was struck was trapped in the wreckage, and emergency workers used the Jaws of Life to remove him. He subsequently passed away at a Worcester hospital. Both drivers suffered injuries.

Massachusetts police indicated that the 17-year-old truck driver will face multiple charges with regard to the fatal car accident, including negligent motor vehicle homicide, speeding, negligent driving and violating the conditions of a junior driver’s license. The family of the driver of the first car and the deceased victim’s surviving family each retain the right to file a personal injury and a wrongful death civil lawsuit, respectively. Both the accused teen and the owner of the truck he was operating may be named as defendants. The loss of a loved one cannot be undone by any litigation, but any monetary award achieved might relieve the burden of end-of-life expenses as well as medical costs and other financial damages pursuant to applicable laws; monetary damages may also be available to the injured car driver upon proper presentation of a personal injury claim.

Source: wcvb.com, “Teen facing charges in fatal car crash“, Dec. 15, 2014