Single-vehicle car accident leaves 2 dead, 2 injured

It is tragic when people are killed in a car accident. In the blink of an eye, lives can be lost and families can be tossed into levels of grief that many of us cannot even imagine. Such was the case when a car accident on Oct. 29 left two women dead and the Knoxville, Tennessee, driver facing possible criminal charges.

According to the Knox County Sheriff’s office, the single-vehicle fatal crash occurred at about 8:40 p.m. on Raccoon Valley Road. The vehicle was being driven by a 31-year-old woman from Knoxville when it left the road and struck a culvert. Two passengers inside the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene. One victim was 29 and the other was 22. The driver and another passenger were airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, but were later listed in stable condition.

A preliminary police investigation found that no one was wearing a seatbelt. There is also an indication that excessive speed and alcohol were contributing factors to the deadly crash. Charges are pending against the driver of the vehicle.

When a car accident such as this happens, families are left wondering how such a horror could occur. In this particular case, speed and alcohol may play an important role in determining the exact cause of the accident. Tennessee law provides victims and the families of victims certain legal remedies they may wish to pursue as a means of holding those responsible accountable for their actions. And if there is a conviction in criminal court, it could bolster a civil lawsuit seeking monetary damages.

Source: WBIR, “Charges pending in fatal weekend accident,” Oct. 31, 2011