The death of a man in Lacey has left his community in shock. A 66-year-old man was killed after his vehicle was struck head-on by an allegedly drunk driver. The man who police say caused the head-on crash is the owner of a drinking establishment.
According to authorities, the tavern owner crossed the center line, drove directly into oncoming traffic and hit the 66-year-old victim’s car. Sadly, he didn’t survive the incident, but the driver who struck him did.
The victim was driving home from work and getting ready to celebrate the receipt of his first Social Security check, but the evening was cut tragically short by the fatal incident. A co-worker described him in court as “one of the greatest guys. He always walked in with a smile on his face. He was always an upbeat, ready to go get it kind of guy.”
The suspect, a much-loved tavern owner also received support from the community. Friends supported him by saying that he is a “big-hearted, civic minded community service man. I can’t really say anything bad about him and I know his heart is probably breaking for the other family.” Others described him as a “nice guy” who is “always, always helping people.”
Police say that the allegedly inebriated driver was slurring his speech, admitted to drinking “a couple of beers” five hours before the accident and that he had smoked a “bowl” of pot to treat an unknown medical condition.
When an intoxicated driver causes the death of a human being, due to no fault of the victim’s own, family members who survive the victim may wish to pursue financial justice in court by filing a wrongful death claim.
Source: komonews.com, “Lacey tavern owner jailed, suspected of killing man while driving drunk,” Keith Eldridge, accessed Aug. 11, 2017
