An elderly man whom police say suffers from dementia drove the wrong way on Interstate 85 for several miles before crashing in the midst of the evening rush hour traffic. The head-on collision left the driver of the other vehicle dead.
There were at least two other people who were injured significantly enough in this car accident to require medical attention. Authorities indicated that one of these two other victims had suffered life-threatening injuries.
Even police acknowledged that was not a typical wrong-way accident, which commonly involve drunk driving or someone getting confused during the nighttime. In this case, the driver who caused the accident had a serious medical condition in that he was suffering with dementia. Even his own children contacted police when they realized that he may have decided to take the car.
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Other motorists also reported the man traveling the wrong way on back roads in the area, apparently before he accidentally navigated in to the oncoming traffic lanes of the Interstate.
Police indicated that their investigation was continuing, and authorities were deciding whether the man will face criminal charges.
Although perhaps this is not a case of flagrant recklessness, the point in this case is that man who had a medical issue still, for whatever reason, chose to drive a vehicle. He therefore can be held financially responsible for the damages, including the loss of life, that he caused as a result of his getting confused and driving the wrong way.
The victims of this accident may have legal options available to them, such as the filing of a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, that will allow them to get compensation for things like unpaid medical bills, lost income and non-economic damages.
