WOMAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH FATAL B.C. ACCIDENT

Authorities in British Columbia have reported that a 37-year-old woman has been charged in connection with a 2014 drunk driving accident that claimed the life of a Vernon nurse. The woman is scheduled to appear in court on March 19 to face counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm and impaired driving causing death. The accident took place in Vernon on Oct. 23, 2014, around 1:15 a.m.

According to the Vernon RCMP, the car crash occurred when a van struck the side of a car after failing to stop for a red light at an intersection. The car that was hit contained two nurses from the nearby Vernon Jubilee Hospital. They had been on their way to pick up coffee for their co-workers. The van’s driver was taken into custody after responding police officers determined that she had been driving under the influence of alcohol.

The 33-year-old Kelowna woman who had been behind the wheel of the car was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services personnel. Her 31-year-old passenger suffered serious injuries, and she was taken by ambulance back to Vernon Jubilee Hospital for treatment. She was later transferred to a medical facility in Kelowna.

Drunk driving accidents claim the lives of thousands of Canadians each year, and the motorists responsible may face civil sanctions as well as criminal penalties. In addition to emotional trauma, the families of those killed by an impaired, distracted or reckless driver often face severe financial difficulties when a relied-upon source of household income is lost. A personal injury lawyer may bring a wrongful death lawsuit on their behalf. If the driver responsible is killed in the accident, this litigation may be brought against their estate.

Source: InfoNews.ca, “Charges laid in crash that took the life of a Vernon nurse,” March 3, 2015