Tragedy struck twice on a California stretch of road in Moorpark and left two widows mourning the loss of their husbands, who were taken before their time, at the hands of an allegedly distracted driver.
A young woman was admittedly using her cell phone to text message while driving. Minutes later she struck a man riding his bicycle along the road. Following this tragedy, she overcorrected her car and subsequently struck a motorcyclist traveling near her. That crash was head-on and the allegedly distracted woman became a reckless weapon, destroying the lives of two separate families in her wake.
California Highway Patrol recommended a felony charge of vehicular manslaughter. However, to the families’ surprise, the District Attorney instead handed down misdemeanor charges instead.
How can a person who is acting in a wantonly reckless manner receive merely misdemeanor charges? What precedent does this set to dissuade other young drivers with a well-set dependency on cell phones, completely in the habit of multitasking in all areas of their lives in order to “not miss a thing” on social media or via text communication? Is the fact that the woman will live with the reality that she caused two people to die enough? Will that be enough of an impact on others who drive irresponsibly?
The victim’s families don’t feel the charges are strong enough and intend to push for harsher penalties and justice for their loved ones.
If you have experienced a similar tragedy, a killer selfishly, insensitively and negligently engaged in distractions other than driving, know that there may be a real chance of seeking justice in a civil court, even if the criminal court intends to go lightly on the offender. A California accident attorney should be able to help you with your endeavor and advocate on behalf of your loved one.
Source: ABC13.com, “California Woman Distracted By Phone, Kills 2 People, Gets Misdemeanor, Amy Powell, June 9, 2016