Vanessa Cease, 24 and Alan Reyes, 26 were killed in an Orange County car accident, which police say, was caused by a drunk driver who was going the wrong way on a freeway. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal car accident occurred on the eastbound 91 freeway in Anaheim early morning on January 19, 2011.
California Highway Patrol officials say 21-year-old Anthony Louis Fragoso was travelling west in the eastbound lanes when he crashed his 1996 Mercedes-Benz into a 2006 Toyota Scion. The two occupants in the Scion, Reyes and Cease, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Fragoso sustained major injuries and has been arrested on suspicion of DUI. He may be charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.
My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Vanessa Cease and Alan Reyes. My thoughts and prayers are with them following this tragic DUI collision.
DUI Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), eight people were killed and 181 were injured in DUI collisions in Anaheim. During that same year, there were 62 fatalities and 1,492 injuries reported as a result of alcohol-related car accidents.
Drunk Driving Laws
Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is illegal under California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a). 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.” Drivers determined to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol may also be held civilly liable for the accidents and damages they cause.
Liability Issues
In such cases where negligence or wrongdoing is apparent, the family of a deceased victim can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for medical and funeral expenses, lost future income, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages. Families would also be well-advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and make sure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. For more information about the dangers of drunk driving, please visit the Mothers Against Drunk Driving web site at www.madd.org.
Lost a family member in an Orange County car accident? Want to know your rights? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation? Want justice? Want to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to another family?
Call your best friends in the legal industry after a fatal Anaheim car accident. Call 800-259-6373. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys Orange County wrongful death lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your rights by attorneys who have been representing families of deceased accident victims since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a compassionate and understanding law firm in a comfortable environment.