A 50-year-old Connecticut woman faced a felony charge after a March accident in a middle school parking lot that left a 65-year-old woman dead. The pedestrian accident occurred when the woman, who was dropping off her child at the school, accidentally entered the bus lane at the Hebron school and then struck the victim, who taught at the school.
The accident occurred just after 7 a.m. on March 14. The 65-year-old teacher was entering RHAM Middle School when the 50-year-old Hebron woman’s vehicle backed over her. An emergency crew took the victim to a nearby hospital. She later died of critical injuries.
Several months after the accident, Connecticut State Police charged the 50-year-old woman with one count of misconduct with a motor vehicle, a felony, along with one count of unsafe backing. A conviction could result in a prison term of up to five years. The woman turned herself in to police on July 29 and posted $100,000 bond. She was scheduled for an Aug. 12 court appearance in Rockville Superior Court.
Several weeks before the 50-year-old woman was charged, the victim’s estate sent a notice to the Town of Hebron that a lawsuit was pending. The notice alleged that a dangerous or defective roadway contributed to the woman’s death.
While it is possible that the 50-year-old woman may face a conviction for her role in the fatal pedestrian accident, criminal courts are unlikely to give financial compensation to surviving family members of deceased victims. Should the family of the 65-year-old woman wish to seek compensation for medical bills, burial expenses or other damages from the driver, they may decide to file a suit in civil court. Personal injury attorneys may be able to advise surviving spouses, children or parents of deceased pedestrians of their eligibility to file wrongful death suits against negligent drivers.
Source: NBC, “Mom Charged in Crash That Killed RHAM Teacher“, Ari Mason, July 30, 2014
