Crash involving Possible Drunk Driver Kills Two, Injures Six
A crash in South Los Angeles has left a man and a woman dead and six other individuals injured. The incident, occurring shortly before 1:00 am on Sunday, November 22, happened on West 59th Street near Normandie Avenue. The driver, traveling at what LAPD officers believe to be a high rate of speed, first hit a minivan. Tragically, the van was occupied by a family of five; the mother was driving while the father and the couple’s three children rode as passengers. All five of the van’s occupants were injured, with one child suffering a fractured bone. The mother was killed in the collision. The suspected drunk driver then continued driving, proceeding to hit a pedestrian, described to be a man in his 30s. The man was transported to the hospital, but succumbed to his injuries in the ambulance.
The possibly-drunken driver somehow continued driving down 59th Street, proceeding to plow into six motorcycles parked along the side of the road. The owners of the motorcycles had gathered for a party and were out on the street when the incident occurred. The driver’s collision with the motorcycles sent shrapnel flying into the group of motorcyclists, sending several of them to the hospital with resulting injuries. At this point, the driver remained stopped and was soon arrested. He was also taken to the hospital with injuries resulting from the string of collisions.
Even when a negligent driver will face criminal charges for his actions resulting in a crash, injured victims may still file civil lawsuits for their damages in the accident. While there may be an added delay in pursuing a claim for damages in civil court while the defendant’s criminal liability is determined, a resulting criminal conviction may be used by your attorney to prove liability in civil court, potentially eliminating the need to go to trial and paving the way to a settlement in a shorter amount of time.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car or truck accident with a drunk driver or other negligent or reckless driver in the greater Los Angeles area, contact the seasoned and knowledgeable personal injury and car accident lawyers at Magaña, Cathcart & McCarthy for a consultation on your claim, at 310-553-6630.
