In a rather bizarre turn of events, according to allegations discussed in a recent article from the Washington Post, a man was driving his SUV with his girlfriend when he lost control of the vehicle and drove off the road and down into an embankment in the woods. He was trapped in the car for three days with his girlfriend who did not survive the crash, and, after getting free from the car and finding help, he is now facing criminal charges.
Authorities have said the man was trapped inside his SUV because he had broken his leg in the crash. After three days of being trapped in the SUV, he managed to crawl out. He was able to find help, but things took a turn for the worse while he was being treated for his injuries. This man allegedly told police and paramedics that his girlfriend had been driving the car, as he did not have a valid driver’s license due to an earlier suspension. However, while paramedics where treating him, one of the troopers noticed a bruise consistent with a driver’s side seat belt. He later admitted that he was the one behind the wheel. He also had a cell phone with him for the three days he was trapped in the car, but did not call 911. Instead he texted his boss the words car accident, and then his phone died. The police suspect that he was not planning on telling anyone that he was driving the car or that he was even in the car accident. They further allege that he planned on leaving his girlfriend’s body in the car and not reporting this. However, his escape did not go according to plan, and he has been charged with several crimes. Two of the crimes are felonies, including driving with a suspended license resulting in a death and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He was also charged with various lesser offenses, such as failing to report a dead body.
It should be noted that even though he has been charged with various crimes in connection with this fatal accident, he has not been convicted on any offense and is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty in court of law beyond a reasonable doubt by a judge or jury. It should also be noted that no foul play is suspected as to the cause of this woman’s death, as it appears she died of a blunt force trauma and a broken neck during the crash.
One thing to keep in mind when a driver does not have a valid license is that he or she may not have any car insurance as well. However, this does not necessarily mean that you will not be able to be compensated for your loss, as you can discuss with your Boston car accident attorney. You may be able to file what is known as an uninsured motorist (UM) claim or recover from another type of insurance policy.
If you are injured in an accident in Massachusetts, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
For three days after a crash, he was trapped in a car with his dead girlfriend. Now he faces charges, September 30, 2016, By Kristine Guerra, Washington Post
More Blog Entries:
Boy Survives Internal Decapitation in Car Accident, June 21, 2016, Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog