Driver Pleads Guilty to Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (DUI)
Mr. Keller was scheduled to go to court today for his part in the death of a 5-year-old who had rolled down a hill and into the street where he was hit by Keller, according to news reports. The boy tragically died of his injuries. This happened in May of 2016.
Last week, to avoid the trial, Keller pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), a misdemeanor. According to the Olmsted County District Court, he made an Alford plea, under which he maintained he was not guilty but that there was enough evidence to convict him. The county attorney said he had been drinking at a bar before hitting the boy.
Why You Need a Lawyer if Someone is Injured or Killed by a Drunk Driver
When a drunk driver causes, even in part, a crash, any business that served him alcohol may be legally responsible, meaning that business (a bar, for example) could be sued for compensation under Minnesota dram shop law.
Your lawyer will need to determine where the driver had been drinking, who provided the alcohol, and if the Minnesota dram shop law can be used for a lawsuit. It takes more than just finding the bar that served the liquor, and our experience is that these establishments generally deny responsibility.
Our lawyers have won multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients, including $6 million for a motorcycle passenger who was seriously injured. Contact our law firm for a free consulatation.
Sources: Minnesota State Patrol and http://www.startribune.com/plea-deal-allows-se-minn-driver-to-admit-to-a-dui-for-killing-boy-in-child-s-wagon/433440423/