Vehicular Homicide

Sometimes it is difficult to think of a car accident resulting in the death of a person to be a “homicide.” 

Think of a person who likes to dance, as they do in some foreign lands, with big knives being wielded in gloriously dangerous and entertaining fashion.   The dancer is performing for the crowd and his own good pleasure, but he accidentally loses control of his knife, or dances to close to someone in the audience and he injures someone standing by.

Is he at fault?  Did he come too close to his audience or did the audience member come too close to him?

Sadly, he is responsible for injuring another.  He riskily wielded his knife and did harm to another, albeit unintentionally.  And yet his choice to take the riskwas intentional.   He is guilty of homicide.

“Do not engage in behavior which may injure another!” we might conclude.

But we all engage in that behavior every time we take a ride in a car.

A.m. on 30 Nov., 2022