California Injury Blog
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.
Alcohol-Related Crashes
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were seven injuries involving DUI collisions in Placerville. In El Dorado County as a whole, nine fatalities and 128 injuries were reported as a result of alcohol-related collisions in 2008.
California DUI Laws
Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is a serious crime under California law. According to California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): “It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.”
If the DUI collision results in death to someone other than the drunk driver, then, the impaired driver could also 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.”
Claim for Compensation
Bone’s family would be well-advised to consult with an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who has an excellent track record financially pursuing drunk drivers. A knowledgeable car accident attorney will advise victims’ family about how their own car insurance policy applies in an accident case that involves an uninsured or underinsured driver. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free and comprehensive consultation to injured victims and their families.
Are you in favor of first-time DUI offenders being mandated to use Ignition Interlock Devices?
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.