Drivers sentenced in fatal race-related accident

As a parent, you want nothing more to see your children grow up to be successful and happy. For two San Diego families, those hopes were crushed when their teenage sons were killed earlier this year on Route 52 after two reckless drivers engaged one another in drag racing.

Two teen drivers, ages 19 and 16, prompted each other to race on the highway and exceeded speeds of 100 mph. Tragedy struck when the younger driver lost control of his car and hit a vehicle with four teenagers inside. An 18 year-old recent graduate of El Capitan High School and a 16 year-old junior at Santana High School were killed as they returned home from a party at La Jolla Shores. The other two passengers were seriously injured, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Both drivers pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them, the older driver of a felony charge of engaging in a speed contest and the younger of gross vehicular homicide. The 19 year-old was sentenced to 180 days in jail with three years probation. The other driver was sentenced in juvenile court and must serve a year in youth camp.

Nothing can replace the life of a loved one. While loss is always difficult, it can be harder to heal when the life of someone you love was wrongly taken. If a family member’s death was caused due to recklessness or negligence, you have the right to sue the responsible party for wrongful death. A lawsuit, while it won’t remedy the tragic situation, can bring the guilty to justice and bring financial support to your family.