A Ventura County assistant principal was struck and killed while jogging earlier this month on South Victoria Avenue. The accident occurred at approximately 6:50 a.m. on a Sunday morning. A 23-year-old driver was arrested for driving while under the influence of drugs and vehicular manslaughter. He was released on $50,000 bond while awaiting an appearance in court.
The assistant principal was 38-years-old and worked at the DeAnza Academy of Technology and Arts. Though he lived with severe hearing loss since birth, he was described as someone who was able to overcome his disability and become an inspiration for others.
Obviously such an accident is a tragedy. We see too many promising lives taken away because individuals choose to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. While there may be ways to make our intersections safer to prevent pedestrian accidents from occurring, the laws have not always been effective when it comes to stopping individuals from getting behind the wheel while they are intoxicated. And though messages about safe driving are being spread, the laws do not always prevent individuals driving while under the influence.
Victims of such accidents and their loved ones need attorneys to deal with such incidents in an aggressive manner. Attorneys cannot take back what has occurred, but they can attempt to make certain their clients are not placed in an even worse financial situation due to such an accident. These attorneys can make certain that victims are provided the opportunity to seek compensation and to have their stories told in a court of law.
Source: CBS Los Angeles, “Ventura Assistant Principal Killed By Suspected DUI Driver,” April 7, 2014
