It has been said that to err is human but to forgive is divine. For the mother of a California man who was killed in a car crash, that saying now has a highly personal connotation. She says wants to let go of the anger she feels, but forgiveness may be impossible.
The man who allegedly caused the car accident that took her son’s life pleaded not guilty recently to charges of drunk driving and vehicular homicide. The charges were levied against him following a car accident in which he allegedly drove the wrong way down the highway and ran into an oncoming car head-on. According to reports, his blood alcohol level measured .23 percent at the time, which is significantly higher than what is allowed by law when driving.
The 28-year-old man who died suffered a torn and shredded spleen. He also suffered substantial injuries to his head. He died at the scene of the accident.
The man thought responsible is being detained with bail set for $250,000. The man’s defense attorney had originally requested bail of $100,000. The judge denied that request and instead assigned the higher amount. He said the level of alcohol the man had in his blood at the time of the accident represented a “substantial” level of alcohol consumption for someone who had gotten behind the wheel of a car.
The decedent’s mother told reporters her son was in school to be a nurse. She said he had a calling and wanted to spend his life helping others. She said she hopes to someday remove the anger about what happened from her heart.
If convicted for his role in this fatal car crash, the man faces 10 years in prison. He could also face a wrongful death lawsuit if the family of the man who died decides to initiate civil action in a California courtroom. It may not remove their anger, but a successfully completed claim could give them the means to attempt to move forward from the sad tragedy their family is continuing to endure.
Source: 760kfmb.com, Not guilty plea from alleged wrong-way driver involved in fatal accident, No author, Feb. 26, 2014