Roxanne Stempien, 40, killed, man injured, and hit-and-run driver Richard Marlin Merritt, 42, arrested in collision on Prairie Avenue in Hawthorne, California
Woman Killed, Man Injured, Suspect Arrested in Hawthorne Hit-and-Run
Officers determined the man had been driving under the influence and he was arrested on suspicion of DUI, felony hit-and-run and manslaughter, Romero said.
Man Charged in Deadly Crash in Hawthorne
Richard Marlin Merritt, 42, of Hawthorne is charged with one count each of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run driving resulting in death or serious injury to another person, hit-and-run driving resulting in injury to another person, driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury and driving with a 0.08 blood-alcohol content causing injury.
Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Crash That Killed Pedestrian
Richard Marlin Merritt, 43, of Hawthorne, pleaded no contest last month to one count of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death
After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?
Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.
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