In very sad news, a 14-year-old boy who was hit by a car while riding his bike in Denver died due to the injuries he sustained. According to the news report, the boy and his 13-year-old friend were in the bicycle lane when they were hit by a vehicle driven by an 81-year-old woman. The 13-year-old is expected to be ok, but his friend was not so lucky. It was reported that the woman had been driving erratically prior to hitting the boys. She suffered minor injuries from the accident and was taken to the hospital. She is being charged with Careless Driving Resulting in Death and Careless Driving Resulting in Injuries.
Larimer County Careless Driving Lawyer | What is the Definition of Careless Driving?
The Colorado law definition of Careless Driving – C.R.S. 42-4-1402 – is:
Basically the woman was charged with this traffic offense because the boys were in the bicycle lane and she did not give enough regard to the road divider and all the conditions therein. Many times this crime is charged in Fort Collins, Loveland, or Estes Park when someone causes an accident because they were looking down at the radio or driving too fast on slippery roads. Careless Driving is an all-encompassing charge that covers almost any circumstance that results in an accident or even if an officer deems a person’s driving to be dangerous.
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Fort Collins Careless Driving Lawyer: What is the Sentence / Punishment for Careless Driving Causing Death?
Normally, Careless Driving is charged as a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense, which is punishable by 10 to 90 days in the Larimer, Boulder, or Grand County Jail and up to $300 in fines. However, when injury or death results, it is elevated to a class 1 traffic offense, which is punishable by 10 days to 1 year in the Larimer County Jail and up to $1,000 in fines. The woman was charged with 2 counts of the class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense, so she could be facing a potential 2 years in the county jail if the judge runs the sentences consecutively.