Police in Gwinnett County have arrested an allegedly intoxicated hit-and-run driver who struck and killed two pedestrians who were walking on Lawrenceville Highway on July 19th. The two pedestrians were a thirty-six year old mother and her six-year old daughter. Spencer T. Prigomore, the alleged hit-and-run driver, has been charged with two counts of first-degree vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated. According to the police, the alleged hit-and-run driver was traveling west on Lawrenceville Highway when he made a “sudden lane change” from one lane into another, striking another vehicle from behind and continuing onto the sidewalk where he struck the two pedestrians. After striking the pedestrians, the hit-and-run driver fled the scene but was followed by eyewitnesses who alerted the police to the hit-and-run driver’s whereabouts. The police report also indicates that the hit-and-run driver appeared intoxicated, but he refused to submit to blood or alcohol testing.

Tragedies like this one are are difficult to comprehend, especially when one of the victims is a small child. While the dangers of drinking while intoxicated are well-known, some members of our community refuse to abide by society’s laws. Although, there is no measure of money that will undo the damage caused by an intoxicated hit-and-run driver, the civil justice system allows victims and their families to recover money damages for injuries caused by the reckless actions of those who choose to drink and drive. Oftentimes, the verdicts rendered by juries in cases involving a hit-and-run driver are greatly increased due to the jury’s outrage at the driver’s conduct. Furthermore, Georgia law allows victims struck by intoxicated drivers to recover punitive damages, which is money that is used to penalize, punish, and deter the driver from repeating his conduct in the future. While the law imposes a statutory maximum for punitive damages in most civil cases, O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1 does not impose a cap where the defendant acted while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

What to do if you are injured by a intoxicated driver:

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by an intoxicated driver, please call the attorneys at Glass & Robson at (404) 751-4702 for a free consultation. The attorneys at our firm have handled numerous cases for clients injured by intoxicated drivers and we welcome the opportunity to help you.