Seattle Injury Lawyer Blog
A 68-year-old former police chief and a 16-year-old boy were killed in a head-on crash near Redmond on Aug. 24. According to sources, around 9 p.m., the man was driving west when an eastbound pickup truck driven by the teenager hit his SUV head-on.
After hitting the SUV, the teen’s pickup continued moving in the westbound lanes and crashed into another car. The pickup then flipped over and blocked both lanes of the highway.
The man and teen were declared dead at the scene. Police say the man’s 68-year-old wife was also in the car at the time of the crash. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center for treatment, where she was listed in critical condition. The woman in the second vehicle that was hit suffered only minor injuries, and she reportedly declined medical attention.
At the time of the report, police did not know what factors caused the teen to drive the wrong way on the road. Authorities were investigating the possibilities of driver distraction or fatigue. The investigation was still ongoing one day after the incident.
When an individual dies from auto injuries suffered in a car crash, that victim’s family may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim. If successful, the family may be able to receive compensation for final expenses such as hospital bills and funeral arrangements. This compensation may also cover non-economic damages such as loss of companionship. A personal injury attorney could help gather evidence to establish that driver negligence caused the crash. In the event that the at-fault motorist also dies, the individual’s estate or insurance company may still be liable.
Source: The Seattle Times, “Retired longtime Redmond police chief, teen driver killed in crash“, Jennifer Sullivan, August 25, 2014