19-year old Jae Maclin, a recent student-athlete at The University of Alabama Birmingham and a safety on their football team was kill in the early morning hours on Thursday, June 4, 2015. Maclin was a passenger in an automobile, a Dodge Charger, driven by Deshaun Rich, 20.

Alabama State Police reported that the Charger was speeding, “traveling at a high rate of speed” when it left the highway, veering onto the right-hand shoulder and striking both cars and then bursting into flames.

The accident occurred as a result of a Ford F-150 truck, driven by 32-year old Monica Apice, that pulled over to the side of the road as a result of engine problems. A second vehicle then stopped to help, a Chevrolet Equinox driven by Jonathan Russell, 33, that was positioned nose to nose in order to jump start the truck. After approaching the scene and then leaving the highway, the Charger slammed into the back of the pickup truck and burst into flames. Rich, Appice and Russell were all treated and release from the hospital in good to fair condition.

There are many questions that need to be asked in order to determine who was at fault in causing the death of Mr. Maclin. Were the two vehicles that pulled over onto the shoulder completely off the road in a lawful way? When young people are killed at 3:00 in the morning, one suspects that a night of partying might have been involved. Where were Rich and Maclin coming from and where were they going? Was Rich driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and if so, where did he buy them. Was Maclin wearing his seat belt? Was the driver talking or texting on his cell phone in the minutes leading up losing control of his vehicle?

These are just a few of the questions that we ask as experienced Huntsville automobile accident attorneys. There is critical evidence like cell phone records, eyewitness testimony, and police and toxicology reports that need to be immediately secured and analyzed that could provide evidence in any potential wrongful death lawsuit.

If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in a Huntsville automobile accident you may have a case against the insurance company of the negligent party, but you need to call a good Huntsville automobile accident attorney today.