Trial Begins for Norfolk Drunk Driver in Fatal Wreck
October 26, 2011
The trial began this week for a Norfolk, Virginia, man who got drunk and crashed his friend’s car in August 2010, killing three passengers.
The Virginian-Pilot reports that the 32-year-old man went to trial on Monday on three counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter, for the deaths of an 18-year-old, 19-year-old, and 29-year-old. The crash, which occurred in the 1800 block of East Indian Road on August 11, 2010, also injured three people when the car ripped through a guardrail and into a group of trees.
Prosecutor Patricia O’Boyle told jurors on Monday that the driver reached speeds of up to 110 miles per hour as passengers yelled for him to slow down. His blood alcohol content level was later shown to be three times the legal limit.
In connection with the crash, the man also faces charges of driving while intoxicated, driving with a revoked license, purchasing alcohol for a minor, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. These charges will be addressed in separate trials.
The driver’s defense attorney told jurors that a front-seat passenger jerked his wheel, causing the accident. O’Boyle said the car was so badly wrecked that rescue crews “could hardly tell it was a car.”
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If you or someone you know has been the victim of a Virginia auto accident, the injury lawyers at Lowell Stanley can help.
