Drunk drivers traveling on the busy streets of Denver put everyone at risk of serious injury or even death. A 24-year-old woman was killed last November in an early-morning drunk driving accident. A 57-year-old driver ran a red light and crashed into the woman’s vehicle head-on. The older driver was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. The District Attorney’s Office reports that her blood alcohol level was .358, more than four times the legal limit, at the time of the accident. The driver recently pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide.
When a driver is involved in an accident, there may be enough reasonable suspicion for an officer to investigate the cause of the accident further. Officers may question those on the scene, conduct field sobriety tests and look for evidence in plain view.
Drivers may be required to submit to a BAC test to determine their blood alcohol content at the time of the accident. Based on the police investigation, if the officer finds that the motorist was most likely under the influence of drugs or alcohol, probable cause may exist to arrest the driver for drunk driving.
For those injured and for families who have lost their loved ones in drunk driving accidents, there is not much anyone can do to ease their pain and suffering. However, there is something that can be done to make their lives a little bit easier. If the injured party can prove their case, they may recover damages in a civil lawsuit to cover medical bills and other costs. For families who have lost a loved one, a wrongful death lawsuit may provide damages to cover funeral costs, lost wages and other expenses. These damages can help make things less stressful and allow victims and their families to focus on the healing process.