Two people sustained injuries in a Ventura car accident after a suspected drunk driver, who was fleeing a hit-and-run collision, crashed into their vehicle. According to a news report in the Ventura County Star, the car crash occurred the morning of April 2, 2010, when John Allen Wilson, 47, rear-ended a vehicle occupied by its driver and a 3-year-old passenger on a Fillmore street. Minutes earlier, Wilson had collided with a parked vehicle on Santa Fe Street and left without exchanging information. Wilson was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and causing injury, and hit-and-run. The driver and the child were transported to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. However, the extent of the victims' injuries is not known.
I sympathize with the driver and the child who may have sustained serious injuries in this case. Please keep them in your prayers. I wish them the very best for a quick and complete recovery.
DUI Collisions
According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were four injuries involving DUI collisions in Fillmore. In Ventura County as a whole, alcohol-related crashed killed 27 people and injured 475 people in 2008.
Car Accident Laws in California
Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is a serious crime under California law. California Vehicle Code section 23152 (a) states: "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle." The same code section also states that it is illegal for any person with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more to drive a vehicle.
Leaving the scene of an accident or hit-and-run is also a serious crime under California law. According to California Vehicle Code section 20001: "The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident."
An Injury Lawyer Can Help
Victims who are injured in such accidents would be well-advised to consult a reputed California personal injury lawyer, who has an excellent track record of financially pursuing drunk drivers. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer should also advise injured victims about how their car insurance policy applies to an incident involving a hit-and-run driver or an uninsured/underinsured motorist.
The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.
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