A 76-year-old man was fatally injured in a Fresno car accident after his vehicle was struck by a suspected drunk driver the afternoon of January 24, 2010. The Fresno Bee reports that 23-year-old Michael Freeman was heading west on McKinley Avenue when he struck a Nissan Frontier, which was southbound on Highway 145. The driver of the Nissan was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. Freeman sustained major injuries, but was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Dustin Perger, 22, who was a passenger in Freeman’s car, was also hospitalized with serious injuries.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased victim for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers.
DUI Statistics and Laws
Drunk driving accidents claimed 13 lives and injured 207 people in Fresno in 2007, according to California Highway Patrol’s traffic accident statistics. In Fresno County as a whole, DUI car accidents killed 141 people and injured 3,783 during the same year.
Driving under the influence is a serious crime in California. According to California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): “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.”
A driver whose act of driving under the influence results in the death of another will likely face vehicular manslaughter charges. California Penal Code section 191.5 (a) states: “Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, in the driving of a vehicle, where the driving was in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, and the killing was either the proximate result of the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, and with gross negligence, or the proximate result of the commission of a lawful act that might produce death, in an unlawful manner, and with gross negligence.”
How An Experienced Injury Lawyer Can Help
The victim’s family in this case would be well-advised to seek the counsel of a reputed Fresno personal injury lawyer who is experienced in financially pursuing drunk drivers. A skilled car accident lawyer will make sure the family’s rights are protected and that they secure fair compensation for their loss. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney should advise the family about how their own car insurance policy applies in an accident case that involves an uninsured or underinsured driver.
The Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys 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.