Auto accidents are sudden, surprising and often tragic incidents that leave victims struggling to move past injuries or grief. A drunk driving accident victim may also struggle with anger toward the at-fault driver. Pottsville, Pennsylvania, readers may certainly understand if a man who lost his girlfriend recently in a nearby county harbored anger or other emotions toward the driver who caused the accident.
According to authorities, the man who was at-fault for the accident fled the scene. It took officers from several state and local law enforcement agencies to track the man down. They eventually found him hiding near his home. He was arrested and charged with a number of things, including a DUI.
The accident that led to the manhunt occurred around 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21. A couple stopped to remove a dead deer from the road. The man and his 38-year-old girlfriend were outside of their vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, loading the deer. According to reports, a box truck driven by an impaired driver ran into the Jeep. The woman was killed.
Authorities found the truck, which was registered to a contracting company. It was located near the scene of the accident but was empty. A tip ultimately led officers to the driver's residence, where they used resources to search for him.
The road where the accident occurred was blocked for close to six hours as authorities reconstructed the accident. Police indicate that the accident is still under investigation. The police chief expressed sympathy for the woman's family and friends and thanked all the agencies that assisted with the search and investigation.
Though anger or emotion from the victim's family is understandable in such a case, it's important to remember that legal tools exist to seek compensation or closure after such an event. Reconstructing the details of an accident, developing a case regarding fault and presenting those facts through legal channels are all steps that should be considered.