Four Covina teenagers were injured in a Los Angeles car accident, which police report, involved an underage drunk driver. According to a report in The Glendale News-Press, the DUI crash occurred on Honolulu Avenue at Ocean View Boulevard in Glendale, during the early morning hours of October 30, 2011. Officials say Eric Corona, 19, was under the influence of alcohol when the vehicle he was driving struck a large tree. He was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence. Corona was not hurt but his four female passengers suffered serious injuries including dislocated hip, broken arms, a spine fracture, a compression fracture, and a cut to the head.
My thoughts and prayers are with the four injured passengers involved in this crash. I wish them all the best for a complete and speedy recovery.
Los Angeles DUI Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person was killed and 51 were injured in alcohol-related crashes in Glendale. During that same year, 204 fatalities and 4,672 injuries occurred involving Los Angeles County DUI collisions.
California DUI Laws
Based on the news report, the driver who caused this injury accident was under the influence of alcohol at the time. Under California Vehicle Code Section 23152, drivers 21 years of age and older may not drive a car with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher. Drivers under the age of 21 face even more stringent restrictions regarding alcohol. California Vehicle Code Section 23136 states: “It is unlawful for a person under the age of 21 years who has a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.01 percent or greater, as measured by a preliminary alcohol screening test or other chemical test, to drive a vehicle.”
Liability Issues
In such cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, victims of drunk driving would be well advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and other related damages. For more information about the dangers of driving under the influence, please visit the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) web site at www.madd.org.