"Melrose Place" Beauty Charged in Fatal DWI Car Accident

Amy Locane former star of TV's "Melrose Place" was charged in fatal DWI car accident in New Jersey.  Locane was apparently driving drunk when she hit the passenger side of a vehicle turning to enter a residential driveway.  The force of impact was great enough to kill the passenger in the vehicle Locane hit.  The driver of the car also suffered serious injuries.  Locane only suffered minor cuts in the fatal collision.

During the investigation it was discovered that Locane had hit another car a few miles earlier and left the scene without stopping in a hit-and-run accident. The hit-and-run accident was minor and there were no reported injuries.  However, the driver of the car followed Locane and observed Locane run down several mail boxes as she swerved on and off the road while driving before being involved in the fatal wreck.

Amy Locane has been charged with second degree vehicular homocide and third degree assault by auto.  She faces a sentence 5-10 years in jail if convicted on both charges.

Despite the criminal charges this is not your clear cut liability case.  Assuming Locan was in fact driving drunk that is not the end of it, you generally are not at fault by that fact alone.  Here, the other car turned left in front of Locane.  A left turning vehicle usually must yield to oncoming traffic, which in this case Locane may have had the right of way.  However, if she was speeding then that general rule goes out the window and she can be at fault for the fatal car accident.  More facts are needed to make a better determination on whether Locane may have some valid defense to this New Jersey fatal car accident. Time will tell.