Ashburn, VA: Red Light Runner Kills 1, Injures 4 in Car | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A car’s passenger died after a pickup truck driver ran a red light in Ashburn, Virginia (VA), early in the morning of November 25, 2016. The deadly crash, which also sent four innocent people in the car to hospitals with injuries, happened at around 1 am at the intersection of Loudon County Parkway and Gloucester Parkway.

 

 

Two 5-year-olds were among the injured passengers. The at-fault driver was initially charged with failure to obey a traffic signal. Additional charges for inflicting injuries and causing a death may be forthcoming when Loudon County and Ashburn police complete their investigations.

Regardless of the criminal consequences, the woman who ran the red light should be held accountable by paying insurance claims. She appears to have acted negligently or recklessly in ignoring the stop signal. Her inattention or unwillingness to stop when signaled to do so left a family missing a mother and wife, and two youngsters facing long, difficult recoveries from physical injuries and emotional losses that likely could have been prevented.

The intersection where the deadly wreck occurred is located in a largely rural area that would have little traffic in the small hours of the morning on the day after Thanksgiving. Not expecting to encounter other motorists would be not be a valid excuse for failing to watch for and heed red lights. Even if the at-fault driver simply made a mistake, that error led to a death and a great amount of pain and suffering. Speaking with an empathetic and experienced Virginia wrongful death attorney could help the grieving and recovering victims secure insurance settlements that make getting on with life easier. 

EJL