Mars Inc. Co-Owner Pleads Guilty in Fatal Virginia Car Accident

Jacqueline Badger, the 74-year-old owner of the candy company Mars Inc. and one of the richest women in the world, recently pleaded guilty to reckless driving in a fatal Virginia car accident that killed an 86-year-old woman. She has been ordered to pay a $2,500 fine, and her driver’s license will be suspended for six months.

The victim was riding in a mini-van the afternoon of October 4^th, 2013, when Mars’ Porsche SUV struck the van head-on. The pregnant driver of the minivan suffered severe injuries that resulted in the loss of her child. According to court papers, Mars claims she fell asleep just before the accident happened in Aldie, Virginia.

The family of the victim stated that they had forgiven Mars, and Mars herself apologized for her negligent conduct, stating: “I will always live with the grief and loss caused by this tragedy.” The district judge could have sentenced Mars to up to a year in jail on the misdemeanor charge, but chose not to. A wrongful death suit has not yet been filed, but if one were to emerge, a Mars family spokesman said that it would be “appropriately handled.” The Mars family has reportedly offered an undisclosed settlement to the victim's family.

If you have recently lost a loved one in a Virginia car accident caused by a reckless driver, your family deserves justice and compensation in the wake of such a preventable tragedy. Please contact Kalfus & Nachman today to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our experienced Norfolk wrongful death attorneys.