Drunk driving accidents are unfortunately all too common in the Newport Beach and Costa Mesa area. Unfortunately, a drunk driving accident over the weekend took the life of a well-known local radiologist. According to an article in The Orange County Register, 64-year-old Michael Aung Sein of Newport Coast died in a rear-end crash involving an allegedly drunken driver. Elijah Ferguson, 21, of Santa Ana was arrested and charged with gross vehicular manslaughter, the newspaper reported.
Ferguson rear-ended Sein’s Aston Martin when it was stopped at a red light on MacArthur Boulevard. According to his colleagues at the Coastal Communities Hospital in Santa Ana, Sein was a “highly talented radiologist.” Sein succumbed to severe injuries suffered in the crash and was pronounced dead at Hoag Hospital, the article said. His wife, Grace Sein, is in the hospital with head injuries, the article said.
Ferguson apparently got away with a broken ankle. Police are still investigating the case, but officials told the Register that both speed and alcohol were dominant factors in this accident.
What a horrible tragedy for the family! Drunken driving continues to be one of the most senseless and unconscionable acts that’s hard to understand for a person with sense and education. Despite numerous public awareness campaigns that start at the high school level and everyday reminders of tragedies in the news media, these crashes continue to happen.
Often times, it’s not just the drivers but also the bar and restaurant owners that serve them with alcohol that are responsible for these tragedies. Some establishments do not care enough or do not train their employees not to serve alcohol when someone is already intoxicated. It’s time that we as a society held these establishments liable for their actions.
Lawsuits filed against such establishments by victims’ families are not at all uncommon. However, it takes a personal injury firm with resources and fire power to conduct such complex investigations.
These businesses must remember that they have a responsibility to the community and their patrons. And if they don’t remember, we need to remind them by holding them accountable for their actions.