Chicago Injury Lawyer News: Teen Guilty of DUI Charges After Killing Child

 

Drugged Driving Fatalities

Two years ago, Carly Rousso made a choice that changed the lives of a family forever. Rousso sat in a pharmacy parking lot and huffed a can of keyboard cleaner. Then, she decided to continue driving down the road to another store.

Meanwhile, Modesta Sacramento-Jiminez was walking with her three small children on the sidewalk. As they walked near a store, Rousso ran into the family, killing Sacramento-Jiminez’s young daughter, Jaclyn, and injuring her two sons.
Police say Rousso lost consciousness before striking the family. Afterward, she briefly regained awareness and attempted to reverse her vehicle away from a wall that she’d struck. She ran over the family again.
Shortly after the car accident, Rousso told investigators she inhaled the aerosol cleaner because she was depressed. Only a few weeks before, she was in a treatment center for depression and on suicide watch.

Rousso Faced an Aggravated DUI Charge After the Car Accident

Authorities decided the accident was serious enough that Rousso should face an aggravated DUI charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail. CBS Chicago reports that Rousso’s attorney fought against the charges by trying to exploit a loophole in Illinois law. He claimed she couldn’t be convicted of DUI because the exact chemical she used to get high is not specifically named in state law.
However, her judge convicted her of the charges, calling the car accident horrific. Next month, Rousso will have her sentencing hearing. She could face as little as three years for the crash, but it’s more likely she will receive close to the maximum sentence of 14 years.
All too often, victims of negligent drivers feel cheated by the legal system. Those responsible for committing heinous crimes may receive punishments that seem too lenient. If you’re in such a situation, an injury lawyer from our firm can help you seek justice through a civil lawsuit.
At Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates in Chicago, we are available to discuss your case during a free consultation. To speak with an experienced Chicago auto injury lawyer, please call (312)-372-8822. To speak with an experienced Joliet auto injury lawyer please call (815)-723-8822.

Drugged Driving Is Becoming a Serious Problem in the United States

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 10.3 million people drove under the influence of drugs during 2012. Drugs impair people’s abilities to drive in many ways; they inhibit coordination, judgment, reaction time and attention.
Most importantly, drugs affect a driver’s ability to perceive the road. Much of the information that our brains process while behind the wheel is visual, making drugged driving extremely dangerous.
If you or a loved one has suffered severe injuries after an accident with a drugged driver, let an experienced automobile accident injury attorney from our firm help. At Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, we have a team of reliable lawyers in Chicago who have decades of combined experience under their belts. To speak with an Illinois injury lawyer about your accident, call us today at (800)-985-1819.