culpable
adj.adj. describing someone who is responsible for a crime or a bad situation. You use this when you want to say that a person's actions caused a problem.
adj. deserving blame or punishment for a crime or fault. Often used in legal or formal contexts to describe the degree of responsibility for an offence.
The driver was found culpable for the accident.
The investigation concluded that the manager was culpable for the safety violations that led to the factory fire.
While the primary cause of the financial collapse was systemic, the board was found culpable for failing to monitor the risk levels of the high-stakes investments.
From Middle English culpable, from Old French culpable, from Latin culpābilis (“blameworthy”), from culpō (“to blame, condemn”), from culpa (“a fault, crime, mistake”). Compare also culprit.