19-Year-Old Charged with Felony DUI after Fatal Car Crash
By Law Offices of Barney B. Gibbs October 23, 2013
A 19-year-old man has been arrested after a serious two-car accident that occurred in eastern Orange County. The collision happened around 1:45 in the morning on Santiago Canyon Road. Two Honda Civics were traveling on the roadway, one behind the other, at an estimated 70 mph according to California Highway Patrol investigators. At one point, the lead Civic slowed suddenly at an intersection because the driver saw an animal in the road. The driver of the second car had to slam on the brakes in an attempt to avoid a collision. The second car veered to the left but still struck the car in front before careening in to the brush on the shoulder and landing on its side. Emergency medical services were called to the scene and arrived to find injured occupants in both cars. A 16-year-old girl in the car that crashed onto its side was found unresponsive with severe injuries. EMTs attempted to resuscitate her but were unable to and she was pronounced dead at the scene. She had not been wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle during the crash. Six others were also injured although reports do not indicate the severity of the injuries or which car each individual had been in. The driver of the second civic, A.E., was taken into custody after being released from medical care. The 19-year-old was arrested on suspicion of DUI manslaughter, a felony. Information was not provided about what tests were done or would be done to determine whether or not the teen was actually under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the tragic accident. The roadway surrounding the intersection where the accident occurred was shut down for several hours while the investigation was conducted and the road cleared. If you have been charged with drunk driving or other DUI charge then speak with a criminal defense lawyer immediately!
Excellent Defense for Orange County DUI Charges
It is important to act quickly if you have been arrested for suspected DUI or have allegedly failed one or more field sobriety tests resulting in an arrest. Contact Criminal Defense Attorney Barney B. Gibbs right away to find out how he may be able to help fight the charges against you. Mr. Gibbs is highly skilled in the area of DUI defense and has successfully represented clients in everything from a 1st time misdemeanor DUI to serious felony DUI charges for multiple offenses and vehicular manslaughter.
