People who are in the military, as well as their family and friends, often assume that the greatest danger to their life is being deployed to a dangerous warzone. Hardly does it cross anyone’s mind that the danger exists at home. But this was the case for a Union City Marine this month who was struck and killed by a drunk driver roughly a month after returning home from a deployment to Afghanistan.

Police were alerted to a suspected drunk driver before 1 a.m. by an employee at a Fremont Taco Bell. The driver, a 23-year-old man from Emeryville, fled from police at a high rate of speed before colliding with the Marine who was riding a motorcycle at the time of the fatal accident. Reports indicate that the driver’s vehicle then struck a utility pole and caught fire. The driver tried to run, but police eventually caught up with him and took him into custody.

Because of the Emeryville man’s negligent decision to drink and drive, the also 23-year-old Marine lance corporal lost his life.  And while police have charged the driver with hit and run causing death or injury and on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, this may be little comfort to the Marine’s family who is likely still grieving their loss.  For them, additional justice may be sought in the form of a wrongful death lawsuit.  Compensation awarded from a settlement would likely be used to cover funeral costs and may help the family move on from this very preventable tragedy.

Source: The Los Angeles Times, “Marine just returned from Afghanistan struck, killed in Bay Area,” March 26, 2014