Anytime you get behind the wheel of a car, you should practice safety. Driving the speed limit, obeying San Diego traffic laws and avoiding dangerous practices like tailgating are essential components of preventing fatal automobile accidents. Unfortunately, many people disregard the law and choose to engage in reckless behavior, such as driving while under the influence. Doing so can have deadly consequences, as one recent incident demonstrates.
Two 20-year-olds had just begun dating when they got into a vehicle with a 26-year-old San Diego resident who had allegedly been under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The young man and woman were killed as a result of fatal injuries they sustained when the driver drifted into the center divider on Interstate 8 and subsequently lost control of the car. The vehicle, a 1997 Nissan Sentra, then drove through a chain link fence before crashing into a concrete culvert.
The driver, who had a DUI conviction in 2007, is now facing charges of vehicular homicide involving alcohol and murder and felony DUI causing death. He was transported to a local hospital with major but non-life threatening injuries.
The family of the young woman, who was from San Diego, is reportedly trying to get in touch with the family of the young man, who was from Chula Vista. The woman’s family intends to set up a fundraiser. It is also in the interest of the victims’ families to get in touch with an attorney to consider filing a wrongful death lawsuit. The compensation provided from such a claim can cover the cost of funeral expenses and other damages.
Source: 7 San Diego, “Family ID’s Suspected DUI Crash Victims,” Monica Garske, April 21, 2014
