Last week in court, the family members of a young man killed by a drunk driver were able to watch as the person who took the life of their son was sentenced to five years in prison for vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol. It had not been long since the young man now deceased had graduated from high school and completed training at a school for massage therapy. He was also a well-known, talented musician in the Carmel area where he lived. On a night in February, the young man was riding home on his mountain bike when he was struck by a drunk driver. Apparently, the man’s state of intoxication was so severe that he didn’t realize immediately what he had done. Therefore, he drove away from the scene, leaving the young and injured bicyclist to die alone on the roadside. He was discovered at approximately 7 A.M. by several Carmel residents on their way to work.

The man driving the car was a successful marine biologist and avid underwater photographer who seemed to enjoy life and take his career seriously. It is unfortunate for the family members of his victim, however, that he did not consider drunk driving laws and the possibility of injuring or killing someone in his intoxicated state as seriously as he did marine life. The morning after the accident, the man phoned police and told them that he may have had something to do with a bicycle accident the night before. When police arrived at the man’s home, the bicycle on which his young victim rode was lodged in the front bumper of his vehicle. The young man’s backpack was also present, stuck between the wipers on the windshield. It is amazing that the driver was even able to make it home the night before with his vehicle in such horrific condition.

Blood alcohol tests were conducted and it was determined that levels of alcohol in the man’s system exceeded .17 percent. This is over twice the legal amount for those driving, and these tests were not even conducted until at least seven hours following the accident. It turns out that the man had been convicted of DUI in at least two other states and had also been convicted of being drunk while in public. Despite his past wrongs, the man was only sentenced to five years in a California prison. In a civil case, he was required to pay approximately one million dollars to the family members of his fatal victim.

Drunk driving is one of the most common reasons behind fatal car accidents. If you’ve been injured in a drunk driving accident, you should contact a <a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=" ">Los Angeles personal injury attorney</a>. The family members of the deceased bicyclist were able to use the monetary compensation they received to cover funeral costs, as well as the cost of starting a scholarship foundation for students who are interested in music, just as their lost loved one had been during his life.