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Drugs involved in California vehicular suicide that led to death

According to reports, on May 30, a 30-year-old Jamul woman caused a car accident, killing herself and another driver. The woman was headed south on state Route 67 in Lakeside, deliberately driving in the wrong lane in what police determined was a suicide attempt. Her vehicle, a Ford pickup truck, collided head-on with a utility truck that was being driven by a 49-year-old man from Alpine who was headed home from work. Both drivers were transported to the hospital where they later died.

The ensuing investigation by the California Highway Patrol recently led police to declare the death of the utility truck driver to be a homicide. In addition, a medical examiner's report regarding the incident showed that the woman involved in the collision had methamphetamine, marijuana and trace amounts of antidepressants in her systems. Reports suggest that the marijuana had been prescribed for medical reasons.

A fatal car crash can deprive a family of income and the companionship of the loved one lost. However, a wrongful death claim in a case similar to this is likely to be bolstered by findings that drugs contributed to an incident, especially if the incident has already been determined to be a homicide by criminal investigators.

Through the claim, a family might be able to collect funds that cover damages associated with the crash. The cost of medical treatment offered before the death occurred, expenses associated with handling the decedent's estate, funeral and burial costs, and the loss of a wage earner's income might all negatively affect a home's finances. Awards handed down by the courts at the completion of a successful wrongful death lawsuit might cover a number of these damages.

Source: UT San Diego, "Suicidal wrong-way driver had meth, pot in her system", Susan Shroder, August 05, 2014

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