California Injury Blog
Back in May of 2011, a horrendous story involving a crashed pickup truck left one teen girl brain-dead and another in critical condition. Going out for a birthday party, one of the girls’ father was driving his Toyota pickup when the accident happened.
Ashton Sweet, a 14 year old cheerleader, suffered irreversible brain damage and was briefly kept alive on a breathing machine. Irvine police stated that Austin Farley, 26, was arrested on suspicion of drinking and driving and booked in Orange County Jail.
Records show Austin Farley was found guilty in 2009 for DUI and also in 2005 for refusing to submit to a DUI test on the road. Records also show the suspect has at least fifteen additional criminal cases on file. The driver was held on $1 million dollar bail.
Sadly car accidents like these happen too often and are completely preventable. In 2009, there were 10,839 fatalities in crashes involving a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher – 32 percent of total traffic fatalities for the year. The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 was four times higher at night than during the day (37% versus 9%). In 2009, 16 percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes during the week were alcohol-impaired, compared to 31 percent on weekends.
Statistics like these show how much of an epidemic drinking and driving truly is, especially in busy and populous cities such as Irvine. If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, contact the Irvine car accident lawyers today. We offer a free consultation and are here to help you gain justice and thrive again.