Driver Sentenced after Pedestrian dies in Texting While Driving Car accident | Washington Car Crash Lawyer

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Any distractions while driving greatly increase the potential for an auto accident. It only takes seconds for something truly catastrophic to happen. As a Seattle car accident attorney and Washington personal injury lawyer, I have seen this happen again and again.

On Friday, an Orange County man was sentenced to four years in prison after a fatal car accident. Investigators believe Martin Kuehl was texting when he hit and killed a pedestrian in Newport Beach.

The car accident occurred on August 29, 2008 on Westcliff Drive. The 42-year-old man struck Martha Ovalle, 32, as she crossed the street on a crosswalk.

In January, Kuehl was charged for vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. He now faces four years in prison.

Investigators say that Kuehl was sending text messages right before the accident occurred. This was clearly a case of inattention and distracted driving. Despite Kuehl’s claims, there is no evidence that there were any obstacles interfering with visibility.

As his sentence was announced, Kuehl became very emotional. He has had a troubled past and claimed he was in the process of getting his life in order when the incident occurred.

The victim of the car accident, Martha Ovalle, was an immigrant from Guatemala. She worked as a nanny and regularly sent money to her family.

We are very sorry about this tragic loss. Texting is a very dangerous driving distraction that can lead to some of the worst auto accidents. Drivers who text, keep their eyes off the road twice as long as other drivers. Those few extra seconds of distraction is all it takes to cause a fatal car collision.