California law provides not only criminal charges for a DUI accident, but a driver convicted of DUI involving injury or death may also have to pay restitution to his victims. There are three ways that this can happen. A person convicted of DUI may have to pay money into a restitution fund, which is used to help victims of all crime in California. They may also be ordered to pay restitution as a part of their sentencing. Lastly, a person charged with DUI is required to pay when the victim or their family files a civil lawsuit.
The Fresno Bee reports on a lawsuit filed by the parents of a boy killed in an auto accident.
Scott and Megan Martzen have filed a civil lawsuit against 35-year-old Karmjit Singh for the death of their son in a February 23rd accident.
Authorities believe that Singh was driving while intoxicated when the BMW that he was driving crashed into the Martzen’s car while speeding at nearly 100 m.p.h. The force of the accident pushed the Martzen’s vehicle into a tree. Their son, who was 8, was in the rear seat. He was first rushed to Selma Hospital and then flown to Valley Children’s Hospital. The young boy succumbed to his injuries there.
Singh is facing criminal charges in the accident. Because of his previous DUI conviction, he is now facing a murder charge. He has a pre-preliminary hearing scheduled for May 14th. The lawsuit, which was filed on February 28th, names Karmjit Singh and Parminder Singh. Parminder Singh owned the BMW that Singh was driving at the time of the accident. The lawsuit alleges that Parminder Singh was aware that Karmjit Singh was unfit to drive a vehicle based on his previous DUI conviction.
