An 18-year-old man in Phoenix caused a crash that left a 3-year-old boy dead and his sister clinging to life in an area hospital. Authorities suspect the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident and he is expected to face criminal charges as a result.The collision occurred on Southern Avenue and 36th Street where the driver reportedly swerved in and out of traffic before hitting a curb and several shrubs, overcorrecting his path of travel and crossing the center line, hitting a Pontiac G6 in a head-on collision.
The G6 was driven by a female who sustained serious injuries and was treated at a local hospital. She had a 5-year-old girl, a 3-year-old boy, and a 1-year-old girl in the car as well. The 3-year-old boy died from his injuries and the 5-year-old girl is in critical condition. It is not clear whether she will survive but the injured 1-year-old is expected to make it.
The at-fault driver was thrown from his vehicle upon impact and he was examined by doctors and treated before being taken into custody. Officials have not released the nature of the charges the man will face as a result of this crash.
The legal age to consume alcohol in Arizona is 21, so if the driver in this case was 18 and had alcohol in his system, he will likely face charges of underage drinking or possession in addition to the crash-related charges.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in Arizona and extremely dangerous. In 2011, there were 103,423 automobile collisions resulting in 754 fatalities in the state. Of those collisions, 5,537 were caused by alcohol and those crashes resulted in 265 deaths. While collisions caused by alcohol accounted for only 5.33 percent of all crashes, the percentage of fatalities caused by alcohol was 32.12 percent, meaning that collisions caused by alcohol are much more likely to be fatal than crashes unrelated to alcohol.
In alcohol-related collisions, there may be several avenues towards a recovery for personal injuries, including claims against the drunk driver, the owner of the driver’s vehicle, a bar or restaurant that served the driver too much alcohol, or even a victim’s own insurance policy in the case of an uninsured or underinsured drunk driver.
If you have been injured by the negligence of a drunk driver, it is extremely important that you speak with a knowledgeable drunk driving injury attorney as soon as possible. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we will discuss your case with a free, no obligation telephone consultation so please call us today at (602) 819-5191 or toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER. We are ready to fight for a recovery on your behalf.
Prior Blog Posts:
Biker Charged with Manslaughter and DUI in Crash That Killed Passenger, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published April 30, 2013.
Phoenix Drunk Driver Runs Red Light, Causes Fatal Collision, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published April 22, 2013.
Resources:
PD: 3 -year-old boy dies after Monday crash in south Phoenix, ABC15.com, published May 1, 2013.
Police: Driver in Phoenix crash could face charges, KTAR.com, published May 2, 2013.