Hit-and-run auto accident leads to death of teen in Tennessee

A person’s worst nightmare may be finding out that a young loved one has been killed in a vehicle accident involving a pedestrian. Perhaps even more frustrating and heartbreaking is learning that the person who struck the child drove off after the incident. A hit-and-run auto accident involving a teenager recently took place in Tennessee, and the woman who is believed to have caused the crash has been charged in this situation.

The accident occurred on Interstate 24 when a teenage boy was changing a flat tire. A 33-year-old woman was driving a friend to a drug addiction rehabilitation center when the crash happened. The 13-year-old boy was killed, while his mother was injured.

The woman, who is believed to have caused the accident, was traveling speedily and apparently lost control of her automobile, police said. After she fled the scene of the collision, she was found at her home. The woman was arrested on charges of aggravated vehicular assault and vehicular homicide.

The woman will have to face multiple criminal charges in Tennessee. However, she also may face a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of the deceased teenager, seeking damages to cover end-of-life expenses such as funeral costs. The boy’s mother, depending on the severity of her injuries, also might opt to file a personal injury claim, seeking monetary damages to cover medical expenses related to the crash. If the arrested woman ends up being convicted on her charges, evidence of this can be presented in civil court to attempt to prove that she is financially responsible for the injuries or death resulting from this hit-and-run auto accident.

Source: wsmv.com, “Teen changing tire struck, killed in hit-and-run on I-24”, Hayley Mason, April 10, 2014