People in San Diego may have heard about a shocking car accident caused by a drunk San Diego man, who, despite his passenger’s pleadings, refused to slow down and drive reasonably. The 25-year-old drunk driver’s alcohol-fueled joyride came to a screeching halt when the man lost control of his Cadillac Escalade, which ran off the road and plowed into a cement pillar before rolling several times and coming to a stop in the middle of the highway. Oncoming traffic, unable to stop in time to avoid the massive wrecked car, slammed into the vehicle only moments later. All in all, three cars crashed as a result of the Escalade, causing injuries to several of the unlucky drivers and passengers.
When it was all said and done, three of the five passengers in the drunk driver’s SUV were killed. Shockingly, two of the men were thrown from the car during the violent crash, but somehow survived. These two men, both in their 20’s, were rushed to local hospitals with serious injuries.
DUI is a serious problem in San Diego, and police and prosecutors are cracking down as much as possible. Still, shocking incidents of unadulterated recklessness can still occur, and those who hold the safety of other people in such low regard must be punished to the full extent of the law. In this case, the driver faces three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter in the death of his three passengers. In addition to his other crimes, the man may face up to 24 years in prison.
In addition to his criminal punishment, the man also faces civil liability, and should be required to compensate those that he harmed as a result of his reckless, drunken car accident. The victims of drunk driving crashes could be entitled to compensation for their injuries and other losses.
Source: NBC 7, “Prosecutor: Driver in Triple Fatal DUI Crash Refused to Slow Down,” Monica Garske and Megan Tevrizian, Jan. 15, 2014
