Arizona has some of the strictest laws against driving under the influence of alcohol in the nation. Even first time offenders face the possibility of jail time and/or the loss of their driver’s license if they are apprehended drunk driving in the Phoenix area. Yet despite these laws prohibiting the conduct and despite national campaigns warning against driving drunk, every day in Arizona, drivers get behind the wheel when they are impaired and should not be driving.
Impairment comes in many forms and those who drive while impaired may be guilty of breaking the law even if they have no alcohol in their systems. Street drugs, prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and other chemical substances can be intoxicants if they lower a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle in a safe manner. While the incidents of drunk driving accidents have been decreasing across the nation in recent decades, the number of drivers who operate while high on drugs and cause collisions has been increasing substantially.
Now, police in Pinal County suspect that impairment may have played a role in a serious accident on Sunday that left at least five people injured. Witnesses reported a vehicle on Hunt Highway near Paso Fino Way was driving in an erratic manner. According to authorities, the same vehicle attempted to pass a second car on the right in an illegal move, causing the driver to lose control and to strike the second vehicle that the driver was attempting to pass.
The first car, allegedly driven by a 22-year-old male, sustained significant damage in the impact and the driver fled the scene on foot, without speaking to police and without checking on the status of those inside the second car. Police have confirmed that two adults and their three children were inside the second car and that all five people were injured in the crash, prompting emergency crews to transport them to area hospitals. All five of those victims are expected to recover.
The suspected driver of the first vehicle was caught not far from the scene of the collision and is facing multiple charges including fleeing the scene of an accident and aggravated assault.
If you have been involved in a car accident and you were injured, make sure you have a full and complete understanding of your legal rights so that you know what options are available to you. If you have questions or are looking for advice, know that the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. are standing by at all hours of the day and night to take your call and to help you.
You can reach us toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 where you will be offered a free, no-obligation case consultation from one of our attorneys. Further, if we represent you in your case, we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf and we advance all case-related expenses.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we believe that those who are injured deserve the help of the law and we make it our business to provide exactly that. If we can help you, call us today and let us get to work on your case.
Prior Blog Entry:
Semi-Truck Involved in Multi Car Crash on I-10, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published August 26, 2105.
Resource:
Suspected impaired driver injures 5 in Pinal County crash, by Phil Benson, CBS5AZ.com, published August 25, 2015.