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Wrong-way driver kills Brownsville man in traffic accident
by Mandy Hicks
A recent accident on Interstate 65 has claimed the life of a Brownsville man, and once again highlighted the dangers of drunk driving.
Michael Campbell, 41, was driving a Chevrolet Corvette north on Interstate 65 when his vehicle was hit head-on by another driving in the wrong direction. He was killed in the accident, which occurred on Sunday, January 11, 2015. His passenger in the vehicle, Terry Anderson, 32, is still in the hospital recovering. According to news accounts, the driver going the wrong way on Interstate 65 told police that she had had too much to drink. She was also injured and was hospitalized, and is expected to be charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication and vehicular assault. News accounts indicate the accident with Campbell was the second accident that night the alleged drunk driver was involved in.
No one has been convicted of any crime in this case, but because of the statements the driver allegedly made, the accident has thrown a new spotlight onto the importance of always having a designated driver, a taxi or some other form of safe and sober transportation when you’ve consumed alcohol. Make arrangements ahead of the time in which you expect to be drinking alcohol so that you will not be tempted to drive after drinking. Even one drink can impair a driver, and you could face very serious consequences. Statistics from MADD show that 10,322 people were killed and another 345,000 injured in accidents involving drunk drivers in 2012.
Courts have not looked kindly on drunk driving cases. Verdicts over the years have indicated that those who drive drunk will be held responsible, both criminally and civilly, for such irresponsibility. In Kentucky, the legal limit for blood alcohol content is 0.08, and even if a driver’s blood tests below that, they can face adverse civil and criminal actions in courts if there is evidence to suggest judgment was impaired. Other factors can be considered aggravating. For a full review of Kentucky’s Driving Under the Influence law, visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet web site.
If you are involved in an accident with an intoxicated driver, it is very important to see the advice and help of an attorney as quickly as possible. Do not sign any settlements or any paperwork from an insurance company without allowing a lawyer to review it. The other driver’s intoxication often makes the accident his or her fault, and you want to be sure that the case is handled as professionally as possible so that you get the compensation you need for your injuries, car damage and trauma you and your family has sustained in the accident. Pursuing such a case may even help keep a chronic drunk driver off the roads.
If you are able to do so safely and you are not injured, consider using your cell phone to make a video of the drunk driver, particularly if he or she is walking around, and take photos of the driver, the car’s license plate and the damage to the car, if you believe you can do so without enraging the other driver. Such photos and videos can be useful if you pursue a court case against the other driver, or if there is a criminal case against the driver.
Our law firm assists many people who have been injured in car accidents. We can review your case. Call us at (270) 781-6500 or reach out to us online.
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