Franklin Barker West (ABC News 4, 9-9-13) of Alexandria, Virginia was on a trip with his fellow fraternity brothers of Pi Kappa Alpha when his life came to a tragic and abrupt end in a car accident. News reports indicate that he was a passenger in a 2001 Land Rover when the driver lost control propelling the car off the roadway, slamming into a tree and ultimately overturning. Mr. West was only 18 years old.
Our deepest condolences go out to the West family. Losing someone you care about is never easy, but the pain is made that much worse when the loss is sudden and unexpected. As the father of teenage children, I can only imagine the torment that Mr. West’s parents are feeling at this time.
The tragic wreck occurred on Interstate 95 (I-95) in Charleston, South Carolina (SC). Five people were in the Land Rover when the accident happened.
Here is a video news report about this Charleston accident: WCIV-TV | ABC News 4 – Charleston News, Sports, Weather
What caused this terrible accident? Well, reports indicate that the driver was under the influence. After the accident, the driver was charged with one count of felony driving under the influence, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance, according to ABC News 4.
It’s frustrating reading about these types of preventable accidents. If only the driver exercised more caution and was not under the influence maybe this awful wreck could have been avoided.