Former Falcon Dee Dowis Dies in Gwinnett County Accident
Air Force Academy football legend Dee Dowis died in a car accident in Georgia on Tuesday, August 29, according to The Colorado Springs Gazette. The one-time Heisman Trophy finalist and Falcons quarterback died when he pulled his car over while traveling south on I-85 and a northbound driver struck his car. Air Force Academy football fans and former players commiserated over the loss of Dowis this week. The driver who struck his car, Jeremy Weiss of Raleigh, appears to be in stable condition.
Dowis Was Backing Up Along Median When Driver Struck Him
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dee Dowis was driving through Gwinnett County on I-85 when he pulled over onto the median. Dowis, who Falcon football coaches and players remember as the greatest Air Force quarterback of all time and perhaps their most valuable player ever, began backing his car up along the median. At this point, Weiss struck the driver side of Dowis’ car, killing the charismatic college football great and pharmaceutical representative. Dowis was not wearing a seatbelt and first responders declared him dead at the scene of the car accident.
Not All Moving Violations are Negligence
When someone suffers an injury in a car accident, they can sue the party at fault for negligence. Usually the victim will need to prove that the other driver failed to take reasonable care to avoid injury to others, which usually means failing to follow the rules of the road. But are there times when breaking the rules of the road is reasonable? There may be times when you have to break the rules of the road to avoid some serious consequence. For example, the sudden appearance of an obstacle might cause a driver to veer into another lane to avoid it. Here, the driver may have violated the rules of the road, but may not be guilty of negligence. The idea here is that no reasonable measure by the driver would have allowed them to avoid breaking the law. If this leads to an accident, the driver who found it necessary to break the rules of the road may not be liable.
Dowis Estate May Not Be Liable for Negligence
Would the driver who struck Dee Dowis be able to sue Dowis’ estate for the injuries he suffered? It seems possible that Dowis was breaking the law when he began backing up along the side of I-85, especially if his vehicle was protruding onto the freeway enough for a vehicle in a lane to strike him. But it’s also possible that Dowis had a reason for pulling over and backing up. If Dowis was experiencing some kind of mechanical failure, he may have pulled over to avoid traffic. It’s also possible that his car was rolling backward without his control. If none of these were the consequences of Dowis failing to take reasonable care, but rather the result of a mechanical problem that Dowis could not have prevented, he may not be negligent.
You Need Legal Representation
Car accidents can lead to major medical problems, expenses, and anxieties. The best way to move forward is to hire an experienced car accident lawyer who can help you straighten out your life. Make a call to Williams Elleby Howard & Easter in Cobb County today to get some serious compensation.
