High-speed chases have been glamorized in movies for years. In movies, even when the car crashes, the passengers will often miraculously make it out alive. Unfortunately, real life victims of motor vehicle accidents are rarely as lucky as the people in movies. One family was forever changed in Oct. 2016 when the car carrying one of their own crashed off U.S. 72 in Alabama.

There were two people in the car when it crashed, the driver and a passenger. The car was traveling around 105 miles per hour when the driver veered across two lanes of traffic from the left lane. The car finally came to a stop in a ditch after hitting a utility pole. The impact broke the pole at its base, and the transformer blew, which caused sparks to ignite the gasoline leaking from the car’s tank.

When authorities arrived on the scene, they saw that the passenger had been thrown from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. However, the driver was still alive and was taken to Huntsville Hospital for treatment. Doctors sent a blood sample from the driver to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in order to test for drugs. These tests eventually revealed that the driver was under the influence of multiple controlled substances at the time of the crash.

He was arrested a year later after the tests confirmed the presence of drugs. It has also been discovered that this is not his first offense. The driver of the car was reportedly on probation for another drug-related charge. Since his arrest, the judge has been asked to declare the defendant delinquent on his probation due not only to this crash but also because of his failure to attend a drug treatment program and his failed drug tests.

It may take time for victims of motor vehicle accidents to see progress in their cases. However, Alabama residents may still find it beneficial to seek the advice of a professional early. An attorney can help to see that all of the necessary information is accounted for and that the victims and their families have the best chance to receive compensation.

Source: al.com, “Huntsville man charged in fatal 105-mph crash; suspect accused of being on ‘several’ drugs“, Ashley Remkus, Oct. 13, 2017