A three-vehicle collision claimed the life of an 18-year-old Santa Ana teen and injured seven others on Oct. 25. According to police, the accident happened after a suspected drunk driver ran a red light, crashing into a car in which the teen was riding and causing it to smash into a pickup truck.
Police arrested a 23-year-old man who was driving a Lexus with four passengers. The man reportedly ran a red light at the intersection of South Bristol Street and Central Avenue, striking the Honda in which the teen was a passenger.
The four Lexus passengers and the three others in the Honda were all taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries following the collision. The people in the Honda had to be extricated from the vehicle. The 18-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. According to law enforcement, the suspected drunk driver was driving on a license that had been suspended due to a prior drunken driving conviction.
When a person is killed as a result of a drunk driving accident, the drunk driver may be civilly liable to the family of the deceased in addition to any criminal penalties they may face. The family might be able to recover damages from the at-fault driver by filing a wrongful death lawsuit against him or her. In cases such as this one, it is possible punitive damages may be assessed in addition to damages for compensatory and non-economical losses. Families may be able to recover damages for medical care, funeral and bereavement expenses, loss of companionship or loss of current and future income.
Source: Orange County Register, “Friends, family mourn Santa Ana teen killed in suspected DUI crash,” Christopher Earley and Chris Haire, Oct. 26, 2014.
Source: The Fresno Bee, “1 arrested in fatal 3-ar crash in Santa Ana”, October 26, 2014