A 49 year old woman is currently facing sentencing in a drunk driving accident that resulted in the death of her granddaughter. It’s a shocking sentence to read. The accident occurred on July 4, 2011 on Interstate 55 at the Loughborough Avenue exit. According to prosecutor Jennifer Joyce, the grandmother drove from Arnold to St. Louis in spite of being told by a family member not to drive.
St. Louis prosecutors are expected to ask for a 20 year sentence for the Arnold woman for the auto accident that killed her 19 month old granddaughter. According to a search warrant: “A witness statement suggested she (the 49 year old woman) had been drinking alcohol for several hours and was desperate to drop off the infant passenger at another family member’s residence”. At the time of the crash, it is indicated that the grandmother had a blood alcohol content of .22 which is more than twice the legal limit of .08.
As she was exiting Interstate 55 at Loughborough Ave, witnesses said she was driving so fast that the driver’s side wheels didn’t touch the ground. The car crashed into a street sign, a house and a tree before landing upside down. The “black box” inside of the car showed that she was driving 69 miles per hour and never used her brake. The child suffered a skull fracture, brain bleeding and brain swelling and died the next day.
What is so tragic about this accident is that was completely preventable. Drunk driving is the most preventable cause of car accidents in our country. Of course, the fact that it was the child’s grandmother that endangered the infant is even more disturbing—certainly, it is extremely difficult for a family to put the pieces of their lives back together after such a tragic incident.
Life is full of choices and the choices that each one of us makes impact the people around us. As summer holidays, lake trips and summer parties are upon us; we each can learn something from this tragedy. If you are drinking any alcohol, don’t get behind the wheel. The best case scenario is that you will just hurt yourself if you drink and drive—the worst case scenario is that you will be responsible for someone else’s injuries or loss of life. I’m not sure how this 49 year old grandmother is coping with this choice and loss. Choices made in just a few moments time can actually ruin other’s lives as well as your own.
Not only can the drunk driver face criminal charges, but the injured parties or families of the loved one killed can file a personal injury or wrongful death claim. Criminal charges impact the driver but do not assist the victim or the victim’s families in medical expenses or loss.
We usually see a rise in drunk driving during Lake Season and summer holiday parties. Drive defensively and absolutely, under no circumstances choose to drink and drive. Even if you have only had a couple of drinks, the choice to climb behind the wheel those results in an accident will have a profound impact on the rest of your life.
If you have been involved in an auto accident that may have involved alcohol, you may need legal representation. Our attorneys at The Cagle Law Firm represent seriously injured victims of DUI accidents. We encourage all efforts to raise awareness and promote safety regarding the choice to Not Drink and Drive. If you have information to share or questions regarding drunk driving accidents, call us locally at (314) 276-1681 or toll free (800) 685-3302
Source: Arnold Woman Faces Sentencing for Killing Granddaughter in St. Louis Drunk Driving Accident, Saint Louis Post Dispatch, 5/10/13
Link to this post!Arnold, Missouri Grandmother Charged in Drunk Driving Death Accident at I-55 & Loughborough" onclick="javascript:this.select()" readonly="readonly" style="width: 100%;" />
