Suit Awards Millions To Family Of DWI Victim

Houston Business Mogul Sentenced In Vehicular Homicide Case

A Houston man accused of DWI manslaughter after a collision that took the life of a 23-year old college student is facing 16 years in prison after being convicted by a jury in West Palm Beach. The suspect, who claims that he only began drinking after the accident, was also charged in a civil suit by the family of the victim, with sources reporting he was assessed $10 million in damages.

Authorities connected with the trial say that the man was involved in an automobile accident in 2010 in Florida. The Houston native made millions of dollars while heading an air conditioning firm located in Texas. According to court documents, the defendant is accused of being intoxicated at the time of the fatal accident.

Prosecutors claim the driver sped through a stop sign, colliding with the victim's vehicle and sending it spinning off the road and into a nearby canal, trapping the student underwater, leading to his death by drowning. In a bizarre twist, the defendant attempted to legally adopt his 42-year old girlfriend as his daughter, in an attempt to protect a trust fund in her name from being part of the civil suit. A judge later struck down this motion, ruling that the move violated the due process of his other minor children, also beneficiaries of the trust.

Damages Rumored At $10 Million In Wrongful Death Suit

According to unnamed sources with knowledge of the civil case, the Houston mogul has been ordered to pay more than $10 million to the family of the victim. In addition to the civil case, he was also convicted of criminal charges stemming from the incident in 2012. The jury was not swayed by his defense, wherein the suspect claimed the accident was caused by a malfunction in the brakes of his Bentley motor vehicle.

Defense attorneys working on the man's behalf told the court that their client was not drunk at the time of the accident. Their story goes that the defendant did not begin drinking until after the crash, when he happened upon a bottle of liquor near the site of the crash. By the time medical personnel and law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, they allege, the driver had begun to drink, hoping to help with the pain and trauma of the collision. After being given a blood alcohol test, authorities claim the driver's blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit of .08, coming in at .20 percent.

Seek Help From An Attorney You Can Trust

If you have lost a loved one in an automobile accident due to the negligent actions of another driver, you may b e entitled to financial compensation to help with medical bills and to help ease your suffering as soon as possible! The legal team at Kirklin & Soh, LLP believes that no one should have to watch as their tormentor walks away without being punished for his or her actions. With the help of a personal injury attorney from our office, you can pursue justice for your family. Please, do not hesitate to call us or visit our website at www.kirklinlawfirm.com right away!