A tragic accident caused by unlawful driving has resulted in the death of a 66-year-old man from Apple Valley, Minnesota. He was riding in a group home van. The driver of the van went through the red light and was struck by an SUV heading west on McAndrews, according to Police Captain Michael Marben. Seven people were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center.
When a crash is caused by the violation of a Minnesota traffic law, that violation is prima facie evidence of driver negligence, meaning it is considered negligence if the defendant fails to introduce evidence of an excuse or justification for violating the traffic law. In this case, the group home minivan driver ran a red light, a clear violation of Minnesota law. Families of group home residents can contact attorneys Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman about legal actions that should be taken to protect the rights of the group home residents injured in the accident. The family of the deceased resident can contact Fred and Eric about a wrongful death lawsuit.
Six of the people hurt were in the group home minivan: four residents, an attendant at the group home and the driver of the minivan. Police will review the State Patrol Investigation Report before deciding whether to charge the driver.
