A North Carolina man with a lengthy arrest history has been charged with causing the deaths of two individuals and injuring two others. Additionally, he is accused of leaving the scene of a car accident. According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the man is charged with two counts of felony death by vehicle, two counts of felony serious injury by vehicle, failing to give information or aid to passengers, and failing to report an accident.

The deceased men were ages 49 and 24, and police say that neither one was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the wreck. The other injured parties are the fiancée and brother of the accused driver. They and the two deceased men were all passengers in the same vehicle. Apparently, all the occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, had just left a bar when the fatal accident occurred.

The driver's fiancée reportedly suffered neck and upper body injuries. She was transported to a local hospital and released. The driver's brother was said to have suffered internal bleeding and was also taken to a local hospital. His condition was unknown at the time of a news report.

In addition to the other charges, the driver in the crash is also charged with causing personal injury to the passengers who survived the accident, as well as property damage of $1,000.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol suspected the man was intoxicated when the crash occurred. However, since he fled on foot and was not apprehended, police were unable to administer a blood-alcohol test at the scene. The man later took a taxi cab to the hospital where his fiancée was being treated, and police arrested him there. He refused a blood-alcohol test, and police served him a warrant to take a blood draw. The results of the blood-alcohol test were not available at the time of a local news report. The man has apparently been convicted of 23 prior offenses.

The surviving victims in this crash will assuredly have the right file a personal injury claim to recover damages. Likewise, the families of the men who are now deceased may have grounds for a wrongful death claim. For both types of claims, compensation may be available to help cover medical bills, funeral expenses, and lost wages, as well as to help provide the families with a sense of solace and justice after this terrible event.

Source: jdnews.com, "Man charged in wreck that left two dead, two injured," Jan. 7, 2012