DUI Accidents

Published on: July 29, 2010

DUI Collision Causes Major Injuries

By Brian Chase

Three members of a Tahoe City family — Heather Laboie, 42, Donna Howard, 66, Laboie’s 6-year-old daughter — sustained major injuries in a car accident after a suspected drunk driver crashed head-on into their vehicle. According to a news report in the Sierra Sun, the major injury collision occurred on July 21, 2010 on Highway 89. California Highway Patrol officials say 34-year-old Matthew Dubois drove his 1998 Chevy Silverado northbound on the highway and collided with a 2002 Acura occupied by the victims. The impact from the crash caused the Acura to go down an embankment and strike a bicyclist.
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Published on: July 28, 2010

DUI Crash in Mendocino County Causes Major Injuries

By Brian Chase

Misty Duran, 20, sustained major injuries in a DUI collision the afternoon of July 18, 2010 in Willits. According to a report in The Willits News, Kayla Grace Chesser, 21, was driving a 2003 Honda Civic north on Highway 101 at a high rate of speed when she drifted off the road. California Highway Patrol officials say Chesser lost control of the car, crossed over four lanes of traffic and narrowly missed a vehicle before veering off the roadway.

The Civic then went down an embankment and rolled over coming to rest on its roof. Duran, who was the passenger, suffered several serious injuries including a broken neck and pelvis. She was transported to a regional hospital for treatment of those and other injuries. Chesser sustained minor injuries and was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving causing injury.
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Published on: July 2, 2010

Ventura DUI Collision Injures Two

By Brian Chase

Esther Bautista, 31, sustained injuries in a Ventura car accident after her car was struck by a suspected drunk driver the afternoon of June 15, 2010. According to a news report in the Santa Paula Times, the accident occurred on Highway 126 in Santa Paula, when 47-year-old Efren Carbajal, who was driving 1988 Ford F-350 pickup truck, rear-ended Bautista’s 1995 Mercury Villager minivan. Bautista’s minivan went off the freeway and rolled over. Bautista was transported to a local hospital. Her two children — 5 and 7 years old — who were in the van, were not injured. Carbajal was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI.
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Published on: June 30, 2010

Motion To Move Los Angeles Angels Pitcher’s Murder Trial To a New Venue

By Brian Chase

A number of sports fans have been waiting to find out Will Angels’ Pitcher Nick Adenhart Murder Trial Get Change of Venue?. A motion for a change of venue has been filed by the defense attorney of an alleged DUI offender who may have caused the death of Angels’ baseball pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others. The Orange County Deputy District Attorney, Susan Price, argued that there is no need to move the fatal Los Angeles personal injury trial and that impartial jurors can be found locally for the trial.
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Published on: June 25, 2010

Los Angeles DUI Car Collision Kills Woman

By Brian Chase

Agueda Quezadas-Gomez, 40, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident the night of June 20, 2010, after the car in which she was a passenger crashed in South El Monte. According to a news report in the Pasadena Star-News, Quezadas-Gomez was a passenger in a 2003 Toyota Corolla driven by 49-year-old Roberto Mendieta. Police suspect Mendieta was under the influence of alcohol and crashed the Toyota into a barrier pole at Peck Road and East Rush Street.
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Published on: June 22, 2010

Fatal San Bernardino DUI Car Accident

By Brian Chase

Ruben C. Vasquez, 20, was killed in a San Bernardino car accident on the 60 Freeway after a suspected drunk driver rear-ended him, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports. California Highway Patrol officials say Vasquez was driving a 2006 Chevy Cobalt on the freeway, in Chino, the morning of June 20, 2010, when his vehicle was struck from behind by 33-year-old Daniel Rosas. Two minutes later, another suspected drunk driver crashed into Rosas’ 2007 Nissan Frontier while he was still sitting in the car. That driver Alex Ruiz Leal, 23, as well as Rosas were arrested on suspicion of DUI. Vasquez was transported to a local hospital where he died from injuries sustained in the crash.
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Published on: June 17, 2010

DUI Collision Kills Woman

By Brian Chase

Destanee Arlene Little, 19, was killed and two others — 20-year-old David Heredia and Chaunnel Renberg, 20 — were hurt in a DUI collision near Lodi, California. According to a News-Sentinel article, the fatal car crash occurred the night of June 12, 2010 on West Lane at Armstrong Road. Little was driving an Oldsmobile Cutlass south on West Lane and nearing Armstrong. At that point, Benjamin Serratos III, 29, who was driving a 2008 Honda Accord, rear-ended Little’s vehicle. The Cutlass then went out of control and crashed into a traffic light.
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Published on: April 13, 2010

DUI Car Collision Leaves One Dead

By Brian Chase

Bruce Bone, 42, was killed in a car accident after his vehicle was struck by a suspected drunk driver who was travelling the wrong way on Highway 50, close to the Red Hawk Casino in Placerville, the night of April 7, 2010. According to a news10 report, the fatal car accident occurred when 55-year-old Theresa Ghersanich drove her Toyota SUV east in the westbound lanes of the highway and crashed head-on into Bone’s vehicle. Bone sustained fatal injuries. Ghersanich was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved Bruce Bone for their tragic and devastating loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to his grieving family members. They will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.
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Published on: April 11, 2010

Ventura Injury Car Accident Caused by Suspected Drunk Driver

By Brian Chase

Two people were injured in a Ventura car accident after a man who was reportedly under the influence and trying to get away from the scene of a hit-and-run collision, crashed into their vehicle. The Ventura County Star reports that the accident occurred the morning of April 2, 2010, when John Allen Wilson, 47, rear-ended a vehicle occupied by its driver and a 3-year-old child near River Street, in Fillmore. Wilson was apparently trying to flee the scene of an earlier hit-and-run accident on Santa Fe Street. Wilson is facing DUI and hit-and-run charges. The driver and the child were taken to an area hospital, but the extent of their injuries is unknown.

I hope that the injured victims in this case have not suffered major injuries. I wish them the very best for a speedy and full recovery. They will be in my prayers.
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Published on: March 21, 2010

Three Injured in San Diego DUI Car Collision

By Brian Chase

Three people sustained injuries in a San Diego car accident, which officials say was caused by a suspected drunk driver. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the crash occurred the afternoon of March 12, 2010 on the State Route 67 near the San Vicente Reservoir. Jason Cooley, the 22-year-old driver of a Chevrolet Impala, who was northbound on the highway, crossed over into opposing traffic lanes and struck a Toyota Yaris. Sean Harkey, the driver of the Yaris, suffered a broken arm and leg. Cooley and his infant son sustained injuries that were described as “not serious.” California Highway Patrol officials say Cooley was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

I wish Harkey, the most seriously injured victim in this crash, the very best for a quick and full recovery. Considering that an infant was involved in this head-on crash, it is indeed fortunate that there were no catastrophic injuries.
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