Teen charged after car accident claimed passenger’s life

An Illinois family recently suffered a horrific loss when their 17-year-old son was killed in a car accident. The teenager was a passenger in a pickup truck along with two more passengers and the driver when a high-speed crash caused his death. The 17-year-old driver of the truck is now facing aggravated DUI charges in connection with the car accident.

According to a preliminary report, deputies were called to the crash scene at about midnight on a recent Saturday evening. Upon arrival, they found a pickup truck that had left the road and had gone through a ditch and struck a tree before smashing into a house and rolling over. The driver and two of the passengers reportedly fled from the accident scene on foot. When a tow truck arrived hours later to remove the car, the lifeless body of another teenager was discovered once the overturned vehicle was flipped upright.

The driver was later located and arrested. The two surviving passengers, who apparently suffered non-life threatening injuries, were also found later. Investigators said that evidence of alcohol consumption was found in the wreck. The sheriff’s office reported that the teen was accused of aggravated DUI and will be tried as an adult. The investigation is not yet complete, and additional arrests may follow.

Illinois authorities reported that the death of the teen was the 16th car accident fatality this year in Franklin County. When a family has suffered such a tragic loss, coping with the financial consequences while mourning the death of a loved one may be overwhelming. Should they choose to do so, they may seek financial relief by filing a wrongful death claim in a civil court. With sufficient evidence of negligence on the part of the driver, the court may enter a monetary judgment for recovery of documented financial losses.

Source: wsiltv.com, “Teen killed in car accident near Benton”, Anna Giles, Oct. 26, 2015