• 03
  • October
    2011

When we turn off the lights at night, slip our feet under our covers and say goodnight to our loved ones, it's a time when we are supposed to feel snuggly and secure in our homes. Sure, there are some dangers we protect ourselves against when we are at home. We lock the doors to prevent intruders from breaking in. We lock our cars and close our garages to protect our property.

There are certain dangers, however, that we don't expect will harm us when locked away in our homes. We do not expect to be killed in a car accident, for example, while under the safety of our roofs. It's a unique tragedy that an Alabama couple went to bed Thursday night last week and didn't wake up the next Friday morning. Reckless driving reportedly took their lives while they were sleeping in the safety of their bed

According to news reports, Alabama authorities are looking for the suspect who crashed into the couple's home early Friday morning, between 1 and 3 in the morning. The suspect was driving a pickup truck and left it at the scene of the crash. Nobody found the accident scene until later in the morning. The couple had already died at the scene by the time responders arrived.

Officials reportedly believe that the driver of the pickup truck was speeding when he likely lost control of his truck and crashed into the sleeping couple's home. They believe they know the identity of the suspect but are keeping information private until they know more. It's possible that drugs and/or alcohol played a role in the fatal accident, but that could be difficult to confirm since the suspect fled and hasn't been apprehended.

When the suspect is found and his or her involvement confirmed, criminal charges will probably be filed. Based on reports, the two victims in this Alabama case left behind a community who loved them. If they have remaining family, that family could try to seek civil justice against the suspect by filing a wrongful death suit. It wouldn't bring back the victims, but it would send the driver and the rest of the community a message that carelessness on the roads won't go unpunished.

Source

Al.com: "Truck smashes into Creola bedroom , killing couple in their sleep," Kim Lanier, Sep. 30, 2011