UPDATE: The accused has been reported to have committed suicide as the police arrived at his residence.
Original Story:
The bright smile of a 20-year-old woman is gone. The circumstances of her death are such that it prompts this post. According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the victim suffered fatal injuries when she was thrown out of a boat on a trailer and run over by the trailer’s wheels.
Officials say the woman was one of several people sitting in the bow of the boat as it was being hauled in the Carolina Lakes are of Sanford Tuesday night. They say the driver of the pickup truck hauling the trailer drifted off the road. He overcorrected in trying to get back on the road and that threw the woman out of the boat and under the trailer’s wheels.
Of particular concern to authorities in this situation is suspicion that alcohol may have been a factor and that several of the individuals involved were apparently underage. In addition, the driver of the pickup, a 29-year-old male, allegedly fled the scene. He has been identified, however, and is reportedly slated to turn himself in to authorities today.
These events prompt a number of serious questions that the loved ones of the victim in this case might want to have answered. Was the driver of the truck impaired? Does he have a record of previous convictions for driving under the influence? Did permitting passengers to ride in the boat under trailer on the road a violation of state or local law?
Seeking justice for the loss of life of the victim and the pain and suffering of her loved ones may be served in some measure by the filing of criminal charges. But the right to seek compensation and recovery from anyone who might be deemed responsible also may exist. An experienced attorney should be consulted.
Source: WTVD-TV, “Woman dead in Sanford after falling out of a boat,” July 9, 2015