DUI Manslaughter Case - Accident Reconstruction - J.D. Armstrong and Associates, Inc.

A crash occurred on the westbound side of an eight-lane interstate divided by a concrete median barrier. The deceased car owner was found in the eastbound inside lane. The deceased owner's car (blue car) was found on its side in the westbound inside lane with severe rear-end damage. The defendant's car (white car) was found in the westbound center lanes with severe front-end damage. The vehicle rest positions, deceased car owner position, and numerous tire marks and gouge marks were recorded by police photographs and measurements. A third car with damage and blood stains on the bottom of its front bumper returned to the accident scene shortly after the police arrived. The driver reported that he thought he had run over something, and returned after seeing emergency vehicles in the opposing lanes heading toward the accident scene.

The investigating police officers determined that the blue car was disabled on the inside shoulder when it was struck from behind by the white car. The driver of the blue car, who was standing in front of his car when it was struck, was thrown over the concrete median barrier and then run over by the eastbound vehicle that later returned to the scene. He received fatal injuries. The driver of the white car was charged with DUI manslaughter.

The defense argued that the owner of the blue car had crossed the concrete median barrier on foot and was struck by an eastbound vehicle while walking on the eastbound roadway. Since he was not in front of his car when it was struck by the white car, the defendant driver could not have contributed to his death.

Jeff Armstrong was retained by the prosecution to perform an engineering reconstruction of this accident. His analysis included a review of the vehicle damage, calculation of the speed of the white car at impact, and an analysis and calculation of possible trajectories of the deceased car owner. Jeff determined that the deceased owner was standing in front of his car with the hood up when it was struck from behind by the blue car. He was carried onto the engine compartment of his car and struck the under-side of the hood. When the car struck the concrete median barrier, he was thrown from the engine compartment and over the barrier where he landed in the eastbound inside lane, leaving a pool of blood. He was then struck by the eastbound vehicle and dragged to his final rest position.

The impact speed of the white car was approximately 70 mph
The white car crossed four feet over the edge line onto the shoulder and struck the disabled blue car in its rear end
The impact by the white car accelerated the blue car from a stop to a speed of 38 mph
The impact caused the blue car to rotate and strike the concrete median barrier
The hood of the blue car was UP at impact
The damage pattern on the hood of the blue car was consistent with having been struck from the under-side by a soft, heavy object (such as a person)
A denim fabric print under the hood indicated that the deceased owner had been on the engine compartment
The impact angle and speed of the blue car with the wall is consistent with the initial rest position of the deceased owner

The case went to a jury trial where Jeff Armstrong was called to provide expert testimony for the prosecution. The jury found the driver of the white car guilty of DUI Manslaughter.