DUI Manslaughter Charge Brought After Death of Off Duty Cop Eddie Ufret

We were saddened to read of two fatal accidents involving pedestrians over the weekend. Today more alarming details emerged about the death in Chesapeake. The victim was Eddie Ufret, an off duty police officer and the driver who hit him was charged with DUI involuntary manslaughter.

During weekends in the summer, more people are out and about in the cities of Hampton Roads and trying to get across busy highways. Sadly, more drunk drivers are also on the roads.

A report on WAVY.com noted Eddie Ufret, of Portsmouth, a 45-year-old Chesapeake police officer who was off duty, was crossing Cedar Road when he was mown down.

Eddie Ufret had been employed by the police department since 2014.

A call about the incident in the Cedar Road and Cedar Lakes area came into Chesapeake Police Department at 10:40 p.m. on Saturday.

WAVY.com reported the officer was married, had a son and was soon going to become a grandfather.

A 72-year-old driver was charged with DUI involuntary manslaughter after the crash. Police say the incident remains under investigation.

Our deepest condolences go to the family of Eddie Ufret after this tragedy. We have written on numerous occasions about how drunk drivers cause untold heartache on the highways of Hampton Roads.

Our personal injury lawyers have filed numerous lawsuits against drunk drivers who have killed or caused serious injuries. Sadly people keep getting behind the wheel when intoxicated and ruining lives.

It was a tragic weekend for pedestrians. In E. Ocean View Avenue in Norfolk a woman was killed by a driver who left the accident scene, we noted.

Hit-and-run drivers often have something to hide. In many cases, they have been drinking alcohol or driving illegally. Even if you are involved in a minor accident, you should never flee from the scene of an accident and may be hit with additional criminal charges if you do.

In 2015, the most recent year figures are available for, 241 people were killed in alcohol-related accidents in Virginia.

Although stricter public awareness and campaigns have steadily driven down drunk driving deaths, alcohol is still a factor in about a third of all fatalities in the Commonwealth.

Find out more about drunk driving accidents on our Virginia DUI injury lawyers’ website.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, please call us at (757) 455-0077.