A Texas former nurse drove her SUV into a grocery store in Austin in February 2012, killing one person and causing another to be severely injured. The woman was convicted of manslaughter and aggravated assault in a decision that took the jury less than an hour. She may face prison terms of up to 20 years each for the offenses, though the sentencing phase of the trial had not yet concluded at the time of the report.
The accident happened after the woman had been hospitalized for a seizure the previous day. She was given morphine and Percocet at the hospital, and the morphine allegedly peaked when she was headed home from the hospital the next day in a cab. She reportedly asked the cab driver to drop her off in a parking lot where she had left her SUV before being hospitalized. She then allegedly drove home, took more pills and got in her vehicle again.
According to police, the woman’s levels of painkillers were four times her prescribed outpatient dose at the time of the crash. The car accident reportedly occurred as the woman was on her way to get food. One testifying officer said he had also arrested her in 2009 for driving under the influence of Percocet.
For those who have lost a family member to another driver’s negligence, it may be helpful to consult a wrongful death lawyer. It may become very difficult to pay medical bills and funeral costs, especially if the person killed had no life insurance. A lawyer may be able to negotiate a settlement, which is a sum of money obtained from the insurance provider of the person found responsible. The settlement may help the family deal with financial burdens as they cope during this emotional time.
Source: KVUE, “Former nurse found guilty of manslaughter“, August 29, 2014
