A suspected DUI collision in Watsonville resulted in the death of a 49-year-old motorcyclist and seriously injured his son, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The fatal motorcycle crash occurred the night of September 27, 2010 when the motorcyclist who was traveling south on Carlton Road was hit by a Toyota Camry going north on the roadway. Officials determined that the driver of the Camry, 51-year-old Maria Villegas de Munoz, was under the influence. She was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI. While the man died at the scene, his son was transported to a local hospital for treatment of multiple injuries.
I offer my heartfelt sympathies to everyone who knew and loved this deceased motorcycle accident victim. Please keep this grieving family in your thoughts and prayers.
DUI Statistics
There were no fatalities, but 15 injuries reported as a result of alcohol-related crashes in Watsonville in 2008, according to California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In Santa Cruz County, 12 people died and 172 were injured as a result of alcohol-related car accidents during the same year.
Laws and Liability Issues
It is illegal under California law to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs 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.”
A skilled San Francisco personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims of drunk driving accidents about their legal rights and options. The family of the victim in such cases could file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for funeral expenses, lost future income, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages.
Lost a family member in a San Francisco 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 Watsonville car accident. Call 866-310-5252. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys San Francisco personal injury 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.
Do you believe laws in California are stringent enough to deter drunk drivers? For more information about the dangers of drunk driving, please visit the Mothers Against Drunk Driving web site at www.madd.org.
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.