A Nova Scotia woman was sentenced to five years in prison for the death of a 55-year-old man in a July 2013 car accident following a guilty plea of DUI causing death and DUI causing injury. The judge ordered her to serve a concurrent sentence of three years for the injuries her friend suffered in the same accident. Her Honda Civic drove into an SUV that was driven by the man on his way to work. The July 10 drunk driving accident occurred at about 6 a.m. outside of Lawrencetown Beach where the accused woman had been drinking.
Both the driver and her passenger were thrown from their car and hospitalized due to their life-threatening injuries, according to reports. Although the other man was rushed to a medical facility, he did not survive. His wife expressed her grief and emphasized the dangers of drunk driving. A representative with MADD of Canada observed that the length of the sentence sends a clear message to the public that drunk driving will not be tolerated.
Once the woman completes her sentence, the judge ordered her not to drive for an additional decade. He also suggested that she seek counseling and treatment for possible addiction issues.
After someone is found guilty in a criminal case, the family of the victim might decide to file a civil lawsuit as well. A personal injury lawyer might assist a client in pursuing a legal case against the defendant in order to provide closure and to hold them accountable for their negligent actions. The lawyer might be able to use the defendant’s guilt in the criminal case against them in a civil case.
Source: CBC News Nova Scotia , “Kyla MacLellan receives 5-year sentence for drunk driving“, September 04, 2014
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