A 53-year-old man from another state was recently arrested after allegedly giving a 15-year-old girl permission to drive his vehicle on a Pennsylvania highway. His alleged irresponsibility led to the death of three 15-year-old passengers. The auto accident happened during the Labor Day weekend.
Authorities reported that the girl drove the vehicle while she had neither a driver’s license nor a learner’s permit. There were five passengers in the SUV when the accident occurred, and only two passengers and the driver survived. The girl apparently lost control of the SUV, and the crash that followed caused the death of the other three passengers.
In a probable cause affidavit that was filed by a Pennsylvania State Trooper, it is stated that the owner of the SUV had permitted the girl to drive on the state highways on more than one previous occasion. Authorities say the adult gave a false report after the accident when he denied that the girl drove his SUV with his consent. He will now be facing manslaughter charges for the three fatalities, along with the reckless endangerment of all six of the juveniles. Other charges include false reporting and giving an unauthorized juvenile permission to drive his vehicle.
Details about the criminal consequences for the teenage driver may not be reported. The parents of the children who lost their lives in the auto accident are free to pursue compensation for the losses they have suffered as a result of the auto accident. They retain the right to file wrongful death claims in a Pennsylvania civil court. While no amount of compensation can replace the loved ones, it may ease the financial burden brought about by the tragic accident.
Source: buckslocalnews.com, “Man charged with involuntary manslaughter in fatal Labor Day weekend crash that killed three Northampton Township teenagers“, Jeff Werner, Dec. 17, 2014