Personal Injury Law

Good Samaritan And Governor's Intern Struck And Killed By Drunk Driver

By M. Brandon Smith

A 24 year old Georgia man was killed by a drunk driver shortly after 4:00 on the morning of June 19, 2010. According to The Augusta Chronicle, the victim, an intern for Governor Perdue who was anticipating a fellowship with the state's chief financial officer, had been celebrating with friends on Friday night. Shortly after acting as the designated driver and seeing his friends safely home, the young man's car was struck at an intersection after a drunk driver ran a red light. The driver had to be extricated from the vehicle when emergency services arrived, and he was later pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

The driver of the other vehicle, Christa Scott, had been driving home after working at a popular Atlanta night club, Door 44. The Examiner reports that at the time she was taken into custody, her blood alcohol level was .229, nearly three times the legal limit in Georgia. Scott was released on bond, and a hearing was held on July 6. She is charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, DUI, and reckless driving.

Friends and family remember the victim as a thoughtful person and cautious driver who was excited about the prospects of his new fellowship and campaign work in the fall. The governor released a statement, reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in which he remembered the victim as 'a bright and shining star' whose 'enthusiastic smile, joyful personality and willingness to help others' will be missed.

This senseless tragedy should serve as a reminder to all drivers that drinking and driving is always dangerous, and the consequences are extreme. The victim of a drunk driver can never be returned to his or her family, and the driver responsible is sure to face severe penalties for taking a life. Drunk driving is a senseless act that is completely avoidable if drivers simply use common sense and choose not to get behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated. Always remember that if you choose to drive drunk, you endanger not only yourself, but everyone on the road. Everyone at Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC, extends condolences and prayers to the family and friends of this victim, whose future was so bright.

Full post as published by Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer on July 14, 2010 (boomark / email).