In one of the most tragic accidents of 2016, a man who was high on heroin drove onto a sidewalk in Northwest Atlanta and hit three boys. One of the boys, only 9 years old, died at the scene. His 11-year-old brother suffered a broken pelvis and broken leg. The third boy, a 13-year-old friend of the brothers, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and a fractured skull. Now, the driver has been sentenced.
29-year-old Ryan Lisabeth was recently found guilty of three counts of vehicular homicide, possession of heroin, six counts of serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of the road and driving under the influence of drugs. In total, he faced up to 49 years in prison. However, the judge handed down a sentence of 30 years.
Lisabeth took time in court to apologize to the families of those he hurt and killed. He said he wishes he could trade places with the boy he killed, or reverse time and not shoot up heroin right before getting behind the wheel of his car.
However, the family of the boy killed was not happy with the sentence. They say in 30 years when he gets out, he won’t even be 60 yet. He’ll have a chance to start his life over, something the boys he killed and injured will never get. The boy who suffered the traumatic brain injury is still in rehab, and his family says he isn’t mentally there.
“When you look at him, it is like he is literally staring into space,” his uncle said.
According to reports, Lisabeth admitted to DUI – drugs in March of last year, but was found not guilty. A month later, he forever changed the lives of these boys and their families.
If your loved one was killed by someone else’s negligence or actions, you have legal rights. While no sum of money can ever heal the pain, it can help cover some of your expenses and ensure the person liable is held responsible. Contact the Atlanta wrongful death attorneys at Rafi Law Firm today for a free consultation.