The 23-year old man now faces four counts of DUI resulting in death. But it’s not the first time that the suspect has had a run-in with the law. According to reports, the man has been arrested six times in the last 16 months for a laundry list of offenses, including

larceny – last month
conspiracy to commit larceny – last month
marijuana possession – in April of 2011 and this past January
Lewd and lascivious conduct – last November
obstructing a police officer – July ’11

He is currently recovering from injuries in the hospital, including a collapsed lung and a possible broken back. But unless he receives a very lengthy prison sentence, it’s difficult to believe that he may not commit a similar crime in the future if you examine his criminal history.

There is another factor which often proves to be more of a deterrent than criminal sentences in cases like this: losing a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the loved ones of those who died in the accident. These civil lawsuits could also allow the families to collect compensation for estimated future wages, reimbursement for burial expenses, and even damages for loss of care and companionship and/or pain and suffering.