San Diego Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Two people sustained serious injuries on June 10, 2010, in an Irvine car crash when the driver lost control of his green colored Toyota Tacoma pickup. The driver of Toyota, Daniel Stirewalt, 23, was later arrested on the suspicion of drunken driving.

According to the Orange County Register news report, Stirewalt was driving east towards Walnut Avenue when he failed to negotiate a curve near Kazan Street. His vehicle then hit the center median and rolled over. The passenger riding in Stirewalt’s vehicle had to be pulled from the vehicle and transported to a nearby hospital with head injuries.

In accidents like these where a single vehicle accident is caused by a negligent driver, his injured passenger may be entitled for compensation to cover medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and other related damages. In this particular case, the driver may have been in violation of California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a) for driving under the influence of alcohol. That section states, “It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.”

Consulting with an experienced Irvine personal injury attorney is important in these cases because there are a variety of defenses which may be raised by the insurance company, including alleging that the injured victim is responsible for his own injuries for getting into a car with a driver he should have known was intoxicated and unfit to drive. That is a favorite insurance defense argument. In addition, a trained car accident lawyer may be able to have the negligent driver’s insurance company pay for his attorneys’ fees, rather than having the injured person being responsible for this bill.

Continue reading "Two People Injured in Irvine Car Crash" »

Rebecca O’Mara, 21 of North Park, and Joshua Carr, 25 of Chula Vista, were killed and a third person suffered major injuries in a head-on car collision on Interstate 8 (I-8) in Mission Bay Park on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The traffic collision occurred at about 2:35 a.m. on the Ocean Beach Freeway near where it terminates at a t-shaped intersection at Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol officers at the scene.

Rebecca and Joshua were in a 2008 Honda Civic and Adrian Villanueva, Jr., 25, of San Diego, was driving a 2008 Toyota Tundra. The car wreck between the two vehicles occurred around 2:35 a.m when they collided head on and one vehicle flipped over.. Adrian suffered a broken right wrist and left collarbone. Investigations are on to determine the cause of the collision as to who was going the wrong way on the freeway and also to rule out if Adrian was drunk.

We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of Rebecca and Joshua for the loss of their dear ones. It is very heart-breaking to bear the loss of young family members. It is hard to believe that the California Highway Patrol has yet to determine which driver was driving the wrongway on the freeway considering that section of I-8is divided. It is also hard to imagine that this accident did not involve alcohol and driving under the influence. If it is determined that one of the drivers was headed the wrong way on the freeway and under the influence of alcohol, the occupants of the other vehicle may be entitled to compensation. Families for all parties should consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to determine their rights.

Continue reading "Two Killed in San Diego Auto Accident on I-8" »

Three people, including an infant, were injured in a San Diego head-on traffic collision that took place between a Chevrolet and a Toyota Yaris, on March 12, 2010, on State Route 67 (SR-67) near the San Vicente Reservoir. The auto accident occurred around 2 pm.

22-year old Lakeside resident, Jason Cooley lost control of his northbound 2007 Chevrolet Impala just south of Foster Truck Trail, which made it cross over a set of double yellow lines and smash into an oncoming Toyota Yaris. The driver of the Toyota, 23-year old Sean Harkey of San Diego, suffered a broken arm and a fractured leg. He had to be cut out of his vehicle. Cooley and his 12-month old son sustained less serious injuries. It is believed that Cooley may have been intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Our law office expresses our prayers and best wishes to the injured and prays that all have a quick recovery. The numbers of cases that are being reported nowadays related to DUI are on an increase. Almost every day someone seems to be injured or killed because he was driving under influence of alcohol or was hit by someone who was drunk. Those who wish to drink, should do so responsibly and should not get behind the wheel to drive.

Continue reading "San Diego Head on Auto Accident Leaves 3 Injured" »

Branden Butler, the 17-year old teenager serving 547 days of service in the Juvenile Hall in Vista, spoke to Rancho Buena Vista High School students in a Vista courtroom on March 5, 2010. On October 4, 2009 Butler rammed his car into a wooden fence on La Granada Road, killing his Torrey Pines High School classmate and friend, Alex Capozza (pictured below).

Butler was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the auto accident. After partying in Rancho Santa Fe, he had gone out with friends to get some food when the fatal car accident took place.

This is the first time that Butler has spoken publicly about what happened and he did so as part of the San Diego Superior Court’s Court Day which featured talks by lawyers and judges about what the Court does on a day-to-day basis. It also featured mock trials and, in the case of Butler, speeches by convicted criminals about the impact their crime has had on their life.

While there is no excuse for Butler’s actions—and drunk driving is completely inexcusable—Butler should be commended for speaking with these students. The source article for this post was not clear whether his presence was court ordered. However, it seems from the subject of his talk and the words that he communicated that his poor choice to drive while intoxicated has caused him a tremendous amount of grief and remorse. He was very remorseful about the loss of his friend and the impact Alex’s death has had on the Capozza family. Unfortunately, it is often only after a fatal auto accident, that people reflect and acknowledge that they made a poor and dangerous choice. If only it could be the other way around.

Continue reading "Convicted Teenage Drunk Driver Speaks to Students about Fatal Rancho Santa Fe Car Accident" »

A 27-year old Torrance man was arrested on March 4, 2010 in connection with a fatal Los Angeles traffic accident that took place on the San Diego Freeway (I-405) near the Crenshaw Boulevard off-ramp. The accident had taken place at around 2:24 am.

Baek was driving southbound on the freeway when he rear-ended a van at a high rate of speed. The driver of the van lost control, veered across two lanes of traffic and struck a third vehicle driving in the slow lane of the freeway. The van left the freeway and went down a steep embankment. Baek was booked on a count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two counts of driving while intoxicated causing injury or death.
Our office wishes to offer our sincere prayers and condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. We once again urge all drivers to be more careful while attempting to switch lanes. Try not to exceed the speed limits. And never, ever, drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you witness motorist driving erratically, try to avoid them as much as possible. They may be driving while intoxicated.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Auto Accident Leaves Driver Dead" »

A San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy lost his life after he crashed his cruiser into a bridge embankment while pursuing an alleged drunk driver going the wrong way on a freeway. The car accident occurred in the early hours of February 28, 2010. The deceased, Deputy Ken Collier, 39, died at a hospital shortly after the accident near Santee. The suspect Jose Jasso Lopez, 22, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter.

Collier was driving westbound on State Route 52 (SR-52) when he spotted a car heading toward him on the same side of the highway. He made a quick u-turn to pursue the car, turning into an auxiliary lane in the highway median, but then struck a bridge abutment between Mast Boulevard and Santo Road near Mission Trails Regional Park in northeastern San Diego County.

Our office wishes to express our sincere prayers for the family and loved ones of Deputy Ken Collier. It is sad that we lost such a competent officer who was looking out for the safety of others. There are few things more dangerous on San Diego’s highways and streets than a drunk driver—unless, of course, if it is a drunk driver heading the wrong way on a freeway. The damage that Mr. Lopez could have caused had he crashed into another vehicle or vehicles is unimaginable. Not only could he have killed himself, but he would likely have killed anyone he ran into. Deputy Collier understood this and decided to chase Mr. Lopez to prevent this tragedy. Unfortunately, he lost his life doing so. We hope that the San Diego District Attorneys’ Office prosecutes Mr. Lopez to the fullest extent of the law.

Continue reading "San Diego County Deputy Dies in Fatal San Diego Car Crash" »

A 17-year old boy was finally arrested for causing a fatal Riverside car crash on January 16, 2010 that had resulted in the death of the female driver of a Ford Explorer. The auto accident took place on Cottonwood Avenue at Festival Way in Moreno Valley when the victim, Cynthia Rene Whitaker, 54, of Moreno Valley, had swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid a Honda Civic. By doing so, she hit a Nissan Quest.

The Civic in question was being driven by the 17-year old boy who had stolen it in Desert Hot Springs. He also admitted to being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the car crash. The Moreno Valley Police has charged him with vehicular manslaughter, two counts of hit-and-run, and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Our office wishes to highlight the severity of this case! Not only did the teenager steal the car, but was also drunk which might have played a huge part in the death of Ms. Whitaker. Such behavior from anyone, especially from a juvenile, is very disheartening and despicable. We hope that the Riverside County District Attorney prosecutes this teenager as an adult and to the fullest extent of the law. We also hope that Ms. Whitaker’s family receives whatever care, assistance, and compensation they need and deserve.

Continue reading "Juvenile Admits To Causing Fatal Riverside County Car Accident" »

A 20-year old Santa Ana resident was killed in an Orange County auto accident that took place on February 14, 2010, sometime before 2:30 a.m. The victim, Cara Lee, a passenger in a 2008 gold Toyota Corolla, was headed west on Sunflower Avenue in Costa Mesa when the Corolla was hit by a 2008 white Toyota Tundra. The driver of the Corolla, Hao A. Nguyen, 21, of Santa Ana, was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana for treatment of minor abrasions and was later arrested on suspicion of DUI.

The Tundra driver, Gustavo A. Vega, 22, of Costa Mesa, was treated for minor abrasions at the scene and arrested on suspicion of murder, vehicular manslaughter, felony DUI, felony injury hit-and-run and possession of a controlled substance. Vega had earlier been involved in a non-injury accident in Santa Ana and also faces additional charges from this traffic collision.

Our office wishes to convey our sincere prayers and condolences to the family and friends of Cara Lee.

Ross Jurewitz is an Orange County auto accident lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group, a California law firm dedicated to representing people seriously injured and the families of people killed by the negligence of others. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in an Orange County car accident, please call Mr. Jurewitz at 888-233-5020 for a free consultation.

In addition, if you would like more information to help you or your family following an Orange County injury accident, please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz's book, The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is free to all California residents.

Two people were injured, one severely, as a hit and run driver crashed his vehicle into several parked cars in the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego on February 5, 2010. This car accident took place around 11 p.m. near 12230 Rancho Bernardo Road.

The victims had been drinking when the driver crashed his car into several cars parked there. The driver then ran away from the scene leaving behind the two injured people said Police Officer David Stafford. One passenger suffered a serious head injury, while the other, suffered only minor injuries. The car crash is being investigated as a felony hit-and-run auto accident.

Such hit-and-run car accidents are on a rapid increase in San Diego area. Both the driver as well as the passengers should be alert while on the road. Attentiveness spares motorists from such injuries which can turn fatal at times. Also, as is well-known, the intake of alcohol while on the road increases the reaction time.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego injury accident lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group, a San Diego, CA law firm dedicated to representing people seriously injured and the families of people killed by the negligence of others. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a San Diego injury accident, please call Mr. Jurewitz at 888-233-5020 for a free consultation.

In addition, if you would like more information to help you or your family following a personal injury accident, please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz's book, The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is free to all California residents.

A fatal car crash close to Ramona along state Route 78 was finally investigated, prosecuted, and the El Cajon man who was the suspect was convicted.

The auto accident killed two men and injured a woman, and left the El Cajon man clear of murder charges, but convicted on two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter. Shannon Shimp was found guilty of DUI causing injury as he had been driving with a blood-alcohol level of over .08 percent. Each of these charges had allegations that the suspect inflicted great bodily injury personally, and caused death or injury to three or more victims.

Joseph Edwards, 52, who was the passenger in Shimp's pickup, was killed in the crash, along with Ian Kinney, 19, who had been driving a Lexus that was involved in the fatal Ramona car accident. Kinney's girlfriend was also injured.

A test conducted on Shimp nearly two hours following the traffic collision found that his blood-alcohol level to be .19 percent, more than twice the legal limit. Witnesses to the scene testified that Shimp had been driving eastbound when he tried to pass vehicles on the road, but instead lost control and collided with the Lexus, which became pinned under the pickup. Edwards, of Ramona, and Kinney, of Julian, both perished at the scene. Kinney's passenger and girlfriend, Tessa Medearis of Vista had to be cut from the sedan and was hospitalized. Shimp only suffered minor injuries from the fiery wreck.

Monte Bennett, the Deputy District Attorney of the area reported that the defendant Shimp is looking at about 17 years in prison once sentenced by Judge Herbert Exarhos on the following hearing on January 8.

If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a Ramona drunk driving car accident, contact San Diego, CA DUI auto accident lawyer Ross Jurewitz and the San Diego, CA personal injury attorneys of the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You may also contact these San Diego injury lawyers online here.

You may also order our free California injury book, The 10 Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case, which is full of free information.

Recent horrific car and motorcycle accidents in San Diego County, as well as across the country, have been horrifying the nation, and spurred many researchers to look into the causes of car crashes and other unfortunate deaths. A recent study has shown that in 2008, 5.8 million car accidents occurring in the United States has resulted in 2.35 million injuries and over 37,000 deaths. The scary notion is the finding that a huge one-third of the deaths attributed to car accidents were the results of a drunk driver.

As it reported, the California numbers are proportionate to the national average. However, San Diego County ranks among the highest three California counties to have fatal car accidents and deaths. San Diego County residents have approximately a 13 percent higher chance of being involved in a deadly car collision than the rest of the nation.

Though the state's total number of alcohol-related deaths had decreased by 103 from 2007 to 2008, there are still an alarming number of unwarranted deaths on California roadways.

They also credit drivers who text while behind the wheel to be a significant factor in traffic accidents.

If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a San Diego County drunk driving car accident, contact San Diego, CA car accident attorney Ross Jurewitz and the California personal injury lawyers of the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You may also contact these San Diego, CA personal injury lawyers online here.

It looked like Labor Day in San Diego County might be more upsetting than celebratory, when a fatal car crash occurred within the first 60 hours of the three-day holiday weekend. However, when all was said and done it was a more successful weekend than anticipated, with that fatality being the only one recorded for the weekend.

37-year-old Mitchell Paul Pinder of Spring Valley had been riding his motorcycle when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a guard rail when he was driving eastbound on state Route 94, just near Barrett Lake Road in Dulzura.

Last year for Labor Day weekend, there were two killed in local traffic accidents according to theCHP. The drunk driving arrests for this year were also down from last year. There were 82 drunk driving arrests made in the hours between 6 p.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. on Monday, as opposed to 110 last year in 2008. Throughout California, 10 people died in fatal wrecks during that same time period, 18 less than the previous year. Altogether there were 1,262 were arrested for drunk driving statewide, down from 1,416 last year.

If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a San Diego drunk driving car accident, contact San Diego, CA car accident attorney Ross Jurewitz and the California DUI auto accident lawyers of the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You may also contact these San Diego, CA personal injury lawyers online here.

Two California Highway Patrol officers were shot at last week in the early morning hours as they were chasing a suspected drunk driver off the freeway and onto the streets of El Cajon, east of San Diego. While one officer returned fire, it is unknown whether anyone was wounded as police are still searching for the suspects in the vehicle.

Officers had tried to pull over a Honda SUV driving along Interstate 8 at 3 a.m. but the driver refused to stop and simply left the freeway and initiated a chase along East Madison Avenue. The car eventually pulled over near Roberta Avenue, and both the driver and passenger ran in opposite direction. CHP authorities ran after the driver when they were shot at from the opposite direction. It is unknown whether anyone was wounded.

If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a San Diego drunk driving auto accident, contact San Diego DUI car accident lawyer Ross Jurewitz and the El Cajon car accident lawyers at the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You can also contact these San Diego, CA personal injury lawyers online here.

An Oceanside car accident a few weeks ago that left a 9-year-old girl dead has put the 23-year-old driver on trial. The driver plead not guilty to the charges of gross vehicular manslaughter, DUI, and child endangerment. The girl was the daughter of a woman he was dating.

Michael J. Wright Jr. of Commerce in Los Angeles County had been ordered to be held on $400,000 bail by Judge Marshall Hockett of Vista in San Diego County. Wright is facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted, according to Deputy San Diego District Attorney Jodi Breton.

The defendant was arrested after the fatal San Diego County car crash that killed his young passenger. The freeway collision occured around 1 a.m. on Monday on northbound Interstate 5 at Cassidy Street. The victim is identified as Violet Rosenquist, also of Los Angeles County, who was riding in the rear seat of the 2006 Lexus RS3300. Wright, the driver, failed to notice vehicles slowing down ahead of him in time, swerved to the right and then crashed into a Dodge Caliber, hit a Honda CRV, and slammed into the left rear side of a big-rig commercial truck.

The girl was flown to Rady Children's Hospital, where she died minutes after the arrival. Wright is charged with one count each of gross vehicular manslaughter with alcohol, DUI causing injury, DUI with a blood-alcohol content of .08 percent of higher and two counts of child endangerment with an allegation of great bodily injury.

If you or or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a Oceanside DUI car crash, contact Oceanside DUI auto accident lawyer Ross Jurewitz and the San Diego County personal injury attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You may also contact these Interstate 5 car accident lawyers online by visiting their San Diego personal injury law firm website here.

San Diego authorities reported on July 15 that two people were injured in Otay Mesa near Brown Field on Tuesday morning in a rollover auto crash that they believe may have been the result of drunk driving.

The car accident occured just before 6 a.m. on Otay Mesa Road just by Britannia Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol. Paramedics arrived on the scene and took two people to the hospital with injuries, according to a San Diego Fire-Rescue dispatcher. It was not made known just yet the extent of their injuries. Police are still investigating whether or not the driver was drunk at the time of the accident. You can read more about this San Diego drunk driving auto accident in this SanDiego6.com story.

Continue reading "San Diego Rollover Car Crash Likely Caused by Alcohol" »

A man was sentenced to life in prison by a Florida jury when he stood trial after admitting to smoking crack cocaine before a hit and run auto accident that killed a San Diego boy. The fate was decided within 24 minutes.

Zachary Foster was 3 when he was killed last year in Florida. Zachary's mother Amy, talked to reporters outside the courthouse , saying "Our hearts are broken forever. He'll never know what he took from us. I'm glad justice was served."

Continue reading "DUI Driver Sentenced for Fatal Hit and Run Accident That Killed Young San Diego Boy" »

Police were on a wild car chase throughout San Diego following a suspected drunk driver early on the morning of July 6, 2009, ending when the driver ran over a spike strip and crashed into the office of Congressman Bob Filner.

The driver's name was still being withheld as of Monday afternoon, but he was known to be taken to UCSD Hospital and is expected to survive, according to Chula Vista Police Lt. Vern Solis. The chase had begun around 1:30 a.m. when an officer attemped to pull over the silver pickup truck which had been heading west on state Route 54 near Woodman Drive for speeding and failing to use turn signals. The driver had refused to pull over and simply continued on State Route 54, speeding around 110 mph before exiting onto southbound Interstate 805. Another officer went ahead to lay down a spike strip at F Street and Third Avenue in Chula Vista, and the driver came to a stop just before hitting it. When he stopped, the officer pointed his gun at the driver and ordered him out of the vehicle. The driver, refusing to be complient, then hit the accelerator, driving over the spike strip and continuing through the intersection. You can read more about this high-speed San Diego car chase and crash in this SanDiegoNewsNetwork.com story.

Continue reading "San Diego Car Chase Ends with Crash Into Congressman Bob Filner's Office" »

Jesus Fernandez Alonzo, 26, was the allegedly drunk man behind the wheel who caused a rollover car crash in Vista, killing a passenger. At an earlier hearing, Alonzo pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in San Diego County's Vista Courthouse, and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Aaron Katz on Thursday to four years in state prison.

The sentencing comes from the April 17 incident when San Diego Sheriff's Officers reported that Alonzo was eastbound on West Vista Way near Santa Clara Drive about 11:30 p.m. when he crashed his Toyota 4-Runner. His passenger was 45-year-old Lorenzo Gabriel Lopez Gonzalez of Oceanside, who was thrown from the SUV and died before he could be airlifted to a hospital. To read more about this San Diego fatal DUI car accident, read this SanDiego6.com story.

Continue reading "Drunk Driver Arrested After Fatal San Diego Car Accident" »

San Diego saw another DUI car accident on June 14, 2009, when a motorist fled on foot after the two-car crash in South Bay and was arrested for driving drunk. The crash occurred on Jamacha Boulevard, just west of Sweetwater Road shortly after 10:30 p.m. according to the California Highway Patrol.

Witnesses to the accident helped police find the suspect, who fled the scene, and were able to put him behind bars. His name had not been released as of yesterday afternoon. You can read more about this car accident in San Diego in this 10news.com story.

Continue reading "DUI Driver Responsible for San Diego Car Accident Arrested" »

Downtown San Diego eyewitnesses spotted a DUI arrest on India and Hawthorne streets on Friday evening around 10:45 p.m. in the Little Italy district. The driver, identified only as a man was driving a champagne colored Honda Accord down India Street the wrong way. The car was pulled over by San Diego Harbor Police patrol and the driver was arrested after failing to pass a sobriety test. It is unknown what the driver's blood alcohol content was at the time of his arrest.

No other cars seemed to be involved and it did not look as though there were any injuries suffered.

Continue reading "Eyewitness Spots Downtown San Diego DUI Auto Accident" »

The San Diego trial of Alan Lester Mabrey, the man accused of driving a truck under the influence of alcohol and killing Pacific Beach pedestrian Emily Dowdy, 24, has been set for June 25. Mabrey, who had seven prior DUI convictions while living in Texas and Colorado, now faces a felony charge second degree murder, as well as several other charges, arising from the fatal February 7 San Diego DUI and pedestrian accident.

The Jurewitz Law Group has written about this Pacific Beach DUI car accident and Pacific Beach pedestrian accident twice before.

Mabrey had allegedly been drinking at a nearby bar when he got into the driver's seat of his friend's truck and drove along Reed Avenue before hitting Dowdy as he was turning left onto Mission Boulevard. Dowdy suffered massive head injuries and was declared brain dead 24 hours later.

If Mabrey is convicted of the murder charges, he could be sentenced to 15 years to life behind bars. A guilty verdict for the remaining charges could add on an additional seven or nine years. Some of the other charges include gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run causing death, DUI causing death, and driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or higher.

The legal limit is .08 percent, and Mabrey's blood alcohol content was measured at .22 percent.

Continue reading "Trial Set for Fatal Pacific Beach DUI Car Accident" »

Monday saw several hit-and-run auto accidents throughout San Diego committed by the same driver on various streets and freeways in the Jamacha area, according to authorities. The car driver is suspected of driving while under the influence, finally slamming head-first into a vehicle which injured himself and two women.

The auto collision happened on the 8600 block of San Vicente Street around 8:20 p.m. on Sunday, as told by San Diego police Sgt David Jennings. After his spree of hit-and-run car crashes in San Diego County, the driver, whose name was not initially released, failed to take a curve correctly while driving eastbound and veered onto the westbound path, where he collided with a 58 year-old woman driver. The woman was hospitalized with a fractured foot and her 41 year-old passenger suffered neck injuries, while the DUI driver at fault was hospitalized with possible internal injuries. You can read more about this San Diego hit and run auto accident in this 10news.com story.

Continue reading "San Diego Car Crash Ends Suspected DUI Hit-and-Run Spree" »

An 18-year-old was the suspect of a drunk driving spree in the Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego early Thursday morning, where the car driver and another teenage passenger crashed into two vehicles parked in front of a home and left the two with severe injuries.

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San Diego Police Sgt. Jeff Fellows reported that those present in the car had been at a friend's house in the area drinking before they decided to leave around 3:30 a.m. to go to the store. It is thought that they were going around 80 mph when the driver lost control and crashed the car on Arista Court, just off of Arista Street, in this San Diego injury accident. The car wreck came about when the car hit the two vehicles and stood on end, leaning against the two cars it hit, and the garage. The passenger, who is believe to be 17 or 18, and driver both left and immediately ran back to their friend's house, where police tracked them down. They were taken to the hospital for treatment to their injuries which, though severe, were not life-threatening.

The two involved in the drunken joy ride said that their friend's mother was on her honeymoon and they took the keys to her car. Fellows reports that the driver will now be facing misdeameanor drunken driving charges. You can read more about this San Diego car accident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

Continue reading "San Diego Joyride Car Accident Ends In Two Teen Injuries" »

San Diego County Officials have confirmed the death of Lorenzo Gabriel-Lopez-Gonzalez, a passenger in a Vista drunk-driving auto accident this last Saturday night. The driver, Jesus Alonzo, 26, was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving. You can read more about this San Diego County car crash in this CBS8.com story.

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San Diego County police came to the car accident scene at Highway 78 and Melrose Drive at about 11:30 p.m. realizing that the vehicle came from West Vista Way and Santa Clara Drive. The vehicle had crashed through the guardrail and ended up near the freeway!

According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office, Gabriel-Lopez-Gonzalez, 45, was thrown from the car and passed away 45 minutes later. He left behind his wife and their children who reside in Oceanside. Our prayers and thoughts go out to his family and particularly his children.

Continue reading "Lorenzo Gabriel-Lopez-Gonzales Killed in San Diego Drunk Driving Car Accident" »

A suspected drunken driver fleeing from San Diego County law enforcement officers hit a 1999 Toyota pick-up truck head-on on SR-76 this last Sunday night, killing the driver of the pick-up truck--Douglas Tarry--and injuring two others in the car accident.

The driver, Silvero Morales Romero, was being chased by California Highway Patrol officers when he decided to exit at SR- 76, running a red light at the intersection with Old Highway 395. At that point, the officers lost sight of the truck but continued on with their lights and sirens on.

While being pursued by law enforcement, Romero crossed over the double yellow line and crashed head-on into Tarry's vehicle, killing Tarry. Romero's truck then continued on to hit a 2004 Ford F-350 being driven by a 50-year-old man from Barstow with his 43-year-old wife as a passenger. Both suffered minor injuries. Romero, himself, lost a leg as a result of the auto accident. You can read more about this San Diego County DUI car crash in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

Continue reading "Douglas Tarry Killed in San Diego Drunk Driving Car Chase" »

Two months ago, in February, we posted this article about a Pacific Beach DUI car crash where Emily Cathleen Dowdy, a pedestrian who was hit by Alan Lester Mabrey while he was intoxicated. The pedestrian accident happened on the intersection of Reed Avenue and Mission Boulevard when the drunk Mabrey attempted to make a right turn, but instead hit Dowdy.

Alan Mabrey, who according to a San Diego Deputy District Attorney had a blood-alcohol level of .22 an hour and a half after the incident, left the scene to get a burger at Burger King. After he got his burger, he returned to the scene and confessed to San Diego Police officers that he had hit someone.

Continue reading "Suspect to Stand Trial Following Pacific Beach DUI Car Crash" »

Two hours after midnight the morning of Easter Sunday, April 12th, San Diego resident Dusha Flowers was riding in a BMW sedan on the Interstate 805. The county Medical Examiner's Office reported that as the southbound vehicle approached SR-54 in National City, the driver lost control, the car veered to the side and ultimately overturned in this San Diego car accident. California Highway Patrol reported that Flowers, 33, was ejected from the vehicle onto the freeway, where a pickup truck ran over her and drove away without stopping or returning to the scene. You can read more about this fatal San Diego auto accident in this SanDiego6.com story.

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While the involvement of alcohol has not been confirmed, it is suspected that the accident was the result of a DUI. The identity of Dusha Flowers was not originally released after her fatal car accident pending notification of her family, but was released on Tuesday by the proper authorities.

Continue reading "Alleged San Diego Car Crash Leaves One Woman Dead" »

Los Angeles Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart was one of three people killed in an early morning hit and run car accident earlier today. Investigating police officers suspect alcohol to be involved.

The car crash occurred after the Angels' game yesterday in nearby Fullerton, California. Adenhart was a passenger in a silver Mitsubishi Eclipse that was broadsided, or "T-Boned", at an intersection by a minivan that allegedly ran a red light. Both vehicles spun in the intersection and one struck another vehicle. You can read more in this ABCnews.com story.

The minivan driver fled the scene of the auto accident on foot but was captured thirty minutes later. He has been identified as Andrew Gallo, 22, of Riverside. Gallo was driving on a suspended license for a prior drunk driving conviction. Tests of Gallo's blood-alcohol content indicate that it was above the legal limit at the time of the accident. It is likely that he will face vehicular manslaughter or murder charges for his role in the accident.

Two others involved in the accident, a 27-year-old man in the Mitsubishi Eclipse and 20-year-old Courtney Frances Stewart of Diamond Bar, were pronounced dead at the scene. Adenhart died during a last surgical attempt at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Angels' Rookie Pitcher One of Three People Killed in Fullerton Hit and Run Car Accident, Drunk Driving Suspected " »

SR-67 in East San Diego County has the ability to make one feel as though they have left the city and its sprawling suburbs. The approximately twenty-four miles of road starts from an interchange with Interstate 8 in El Cajon and ends at an interchange with California SR-78 in Ramona is known not only for the winding and mountainous route it takes, but consequently the high incident of auto accidents seen on its scenic back country stretch. Most of these car wreck accidents tend to be fatal.

Since 2006, the 19 fatalities due to car crashes on California Highway 67 include 11 due to drunk driving. Despite the reputation this road has received for car and motorcycle accidents, it has not seemed to affect the attitude of drivers as the death toll remains steadily on its increasing pattern. Even if one does not drink and drive, it is important to remember that others on the road may not be as responsible. Always be cautious and alert to avoid potential auto accidents.

Continue reading "Tightened Highway Enforcement Hopes to Lower Fatal San Diego Auto Accidents" »

A Vista man pulled into a Circle K on College Boulevard and Vista Way at about 3:20 a.m. The man wanted to get gas but the store was closed and the gas store clerk refused to sell him any gas. The man then proceeded to ram his truck into the two glass windows of the store and drove off northbound on College Boulevard, leading San Diego County police officers in a car chase through Vista, Bonsall, Oceanside, and Carlsbad roads.

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The man was pulled over on Old Grove Road, but then sped off again as San Diego County law enforcement officers approached him. He reached speeds of up to 90 mph and and at times he drove on the wrong side of the road. The man was chased by two police vehicles and ended on Chroma Drive where one of the police vehicles crashed into the wall. One of the officers received minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.

The driver then headed into the rural North San Diego County community of Bonsall along State Route 76, but the chase was called off due to fear of public endangerment.

Continue reading "Suspected DUI Driver Arrested After San Diego Car Crash and Chase" »

Almost two years ago, on May 7, 2007, Ronald Boord of Ramona crossed into oncoming traffic with his pickup truck. He collided head-on with a Hummer being driven by Kris Coxsey of Warner Springs. Boord then went on to hit two more vehicles, causing a multi-vehicle car crash on SR-67 in Poway. Boord was on his way back from the Poway Wal-Mart at about 10 a.m., while Coxsey was on her way to visit her mother in San Diego from Warner Springs. You can read more about this San Diego County car accident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

Kris Coxsey's back was broken due to the crash and Ronal Boord suffered numerous injuries.

At the time of the crash, Ronal Boord was taking methadone and also had hip and ankle problems, making it difficult for him to operate a motor vehicle. However, it was initially thought by investigators that Boord had attempted to commit suicide since there was no evidence of him attempting to brake or perform evasive action once he crossed the double-yellow line. This suspicion was then heightened when investigators learned of previous incident where Boord emptied a .45-caliber handgun into his van parked outside of his Encinitas apartment. Boord begged SWAT officers to kill him while he held the gun to his head for about three hours. The jury, however, never learned about this incident because investigators thought that there was no way to prove what had motivated Boord. Instead, Boord was faced with a reckless driving charge and up to 11 years in prison.

Continue reading "San Diego Jury Acquits Driver in 2007 San Diego County Car Accident" »

The California Highway Patrol reported that two people were killed and three other people seriously injured in a rollover car crash along SR 94 near the intersection of College Grove Way in San Diego this past Sunday morning. The San Diego auto accident happened at about 2:45 a.m. You can read more about this car wreck in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

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The CHP suspects that this early morning SR 94 car accident may have involved underage drinking. The Ford Mustang spun out, went off an embankment and rolled over several times, ejecting the driver and four passengers. None of them were wearing seat belts.

Continue reading "State Route 94 San Diego Rollover Car Crash" »

Earlier this week we posted this story about a bicycle rider who was hit by a car on Balboa Avenue near Charger Boulevard in the Clairemont of San Diego. The cyclist was taken to the hospital with a chipped tooth and a cut on his forehead.

At first, it was believed that the driver was under the influence of drugs. However, now it is suspected that he was drinking and driving. The driver was arrested by San Diego police and was already driving on a suspended license a the time of the crash. You can read more about this accident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

If you or anyone you know has ever been injured in a San Diego bicycle accident, please contact San Diego bicycle accident lawyer Ross Jurewitz and the other San Diego personal injury attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group at 619-233-5020. You may also contact these San Diego injury lawyers online here.

San Diego police reported earlier today that a bicyclist riding along Balboa Avenue near Charger Boulevard in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego was struck by a car driven under the influence of drugs. The car driver had a suspended license from a previous DUI. Yet, because of his lack of thoughtfulness, he seriously injured the bicyclist and sent to him to the hospital. The driver was also sent to the hospital with a front chipped tooth and a cut on his forehead. You can read more about this San Diego bicycle accident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

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California Vehicle Code Section 23152 states that "it is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or drug, to drive a vehicle." The California Vehicle Code also states that it is unlawful for a person to drive a motor vehicle if they are addicted to any drugs unless they are participating in a narcotic treatment program. The consequences of driving under the influence of drugs are very similar to that of a driving under the influence of alcohol charge.

Continue reading "Bicyclist Seriously Injured in San Diego DUI Car Accident" »

Falling asleep at the wheel is just as serious of a problem as drunk driving here in San Diego County. Just this past Sunday, March 22, a driver fell asleep at the wheel of a Toyota Tundra, which went on to roll down a steep ravine off of I-15, near Fallbrook. The truck was carrying two other passengers. The front seat passenger, identified as Oscar Sandoval Jimenez, 23, of Moreno Valley, Riverside County, was thrown from the front seat and died at the scene. The driver and the second passenger were taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. You can read more about this Fallbrook car accident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

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The three individuals involved in this San Diego County auto accident were driving at around 3:15 a.m., which is a time when most San Diegans are asleep. According to a report released by the Insurance Bureau of Canada a driver who has not slept in 24 hours is as impaired to drive a vehicle as someone with an alcohol level of .1%. The Bureau's report also shows that the people most affected by fatigue at the wheel are young men, new/young drivers, workers with shift or split-shifts, people with sleep disorders, and of course people who's lifestyle does not allow them to sleep enough.

Continue reading "Oscar Sandoval Jimenez Killee in I-15 Car Accident Near Fallbrook" »

On March 19, we posted this story about a Carlsbad car accident that happened just off of interstate 5 where a 1996 Toyota Tacoma veered off the freeway and into the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. You can read more in this North County Times story.

The 27-year-old passenger, Amy Lopez of San Diego, died Friday at the Tri-City Medical Center, where she had been on a ventilater since Wednesday. According to the San Diego County medical examiner's office, Lopez was pulled out of the lagoon unconscious while the 22-year-old driver, Alicia Biggs, was able to swim out.

The California Highway Patrol said that the accident had been alcohol related and that Biggs would probably face felony drunken driving charges.

Continue reading "Amy Lopez of San Diego Dies After Carlsbad Lagoon Car Accident" »

A speeding truck going 96 mph and headed north on I-5, drove into a Carlsbad lagoon this morning. The 22-year-old driver swam to shore and was later arrested by California Highway Patrol for driving under the influence. You can learn more about this Carlsbad car accident in this San Diego Fox 6 story.

The truck was also carrying another young female in her 20s that was sitting in the passenger seat. She was thrown out of the truck when it wen through the guardrail and into the lagoon. The passenger was found unconscious and floating in the water by San Diego officials. She was taken to the hospital but there have been no reports on her condition.

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Driving under the influence in San Diego County is not something you ever want to do, especially when carrying a passenger. It is bad enough that the driver placed her own life in danger but in this case she placed the life of her passenger in danger as well. We hope that the passenger will survive without any major injuries so that the guilt of this crash doesn't linger in the life of the driver.

If you or a friend have ever been injured in a San Diego DUI accident, please contact the drunk driving accident attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group at 619-233-5020 or contact them online here.

An unidentified, 24-year-old, Oceanside man was killed Monday from injuries sustained from a suspected drunk driving car crash in Valley Center. The news story about the crash can be found here.

According to the California Highway Patrol officers, the man was driving east in a 1992 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Lilac Road at Via Piedra at aprroximately 8:20 p.m. when he crossed into the westbound lane. The Jeep crashed headlong into a 2002 Toyota Tundra. The driver of the Toyota suffered a broken elbow.

Three people were taken to the hospital after the car crash and the driver of the Jeep died while being treated for his injuries.

Authorities believe that drugs or alcohol contributed to the crash.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a San Diego drunk driving car accident, please call the lawyers at the Jurewitz Law Group at 619-233-5020 or contact them online here.

19-year-old Richard Caldwell of Poway will be sentenced today for a San Diego drunk driving car crash that occurred in April 2008.

The young teenager, 18 years old at the time, crashed his SUV and killed his passenger, Charles Amaro II of the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego, who was celebrating his 20th birthday with Caldwell and his passengers. Caldwell himself suffered head injuries and his three other passengers--a 19 year-old man, a 16 year-old girl, and a 17 year-old girl--were also injured.

The car accident was horrific. News stories at the time (found here and here) describe Caldwell driving at 65 to 70 mph along a residential street zoned with a 35 mph speed limit, leaving skidmarks, before rolling over several times on Valle Verde Road in Poway after it lost control on a curve past Vinter Way and ending up near Edina Way.

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At the time of the violent car wreck, it was suspected that the teens had been drinking and that alcohol was involved in the car crash. Sadly, that turned out to be the case.

Continue reading "Poway Teen to be Sentenced Today for Fatal 2008 San Diego Drunk Driving Car Accident" »

This past Saturday, a drunk driver caused a serious San Diego car accident when she hit four people, including a child, who were pedestrians crossing the street in in the neighborhood of Egger Highlands in San Diego, near Imperial Beach. The pedestrian accident happened at approximately 7 p.m. when the drunk driver, driving west on Coronado Avenue, attempted to avoid another car turning left from Thermal Avenue. You can read the original news source here.

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When the 20-year-old female drunk driver tried to miss the car, she instead hit three adults and one child standing on the corner. San Diego Police Department Sgt. Alan Hayward said that one of the adult pedestrians suffered serious injuries to her leg, while the other three suffered minor injuries.

The drunk driver was arrested and is likely to be charged with driving under the influence.

Continue reading "Drunk Driver Hits Four Pedestrians In Imperial Beach" »

San Diego law enforcement officers set up a drunk driver (DUI) checkpoint Sunday, February 22, on the Coronado side of the Coronado Bridge--the bridge connecting Coronado and San Diego. The checkpoint resulted in the arrest of 11 suspected drunken drivers and 28 cars were impounded.

According to a Chula Vista police officer, the operation was wrapped up early Sunday but none of the names for the people arrested were available.

San Diego law enforcement officials impounded the 28 vehicles from drivers without valid licenses (and presumably without valid insurance--another reason to make sure you have underinsured and uninsured motorist insurance coverage to protect you and your family if you are involved in a San Diego car accident).

The checkpoint was collaboration between Chula Vista, National City, Coronado, and the San Diego Police Departments and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Continue reading "San Diego Faces Touger Crackdowns on Drunk Drivers" »

Data collected since 1998 shows that San Diego car accidents have been increasingly caused by young, female drunk drivers according to this news story.

The study, performed by Steven Bloch of the Automobile Club of Southern California, was started following the insane drunk driving incidents involving television celebrities Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Nicole Richie. These incidents made Block wonder if they reflected a larger problems facing communities like San Diego.

What Block found was that, in San Diego, young female drunk drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 saw the largest increase in fatal car crashes. In 1998, there were 49 fatal car crashes. By 2007, there were 110 fatal car crashes.

For example, in a 2007 North San Diego County car accident, a young Palm Springs womand named Deanna Fridley was charged with DUI and driving under the influence of methamphetamine in a head-on car accident that killed two couples from Escondido and Vista. She is presently awaiting trial on four counts of murder related to the car crash.

Bloch does point out that the majority of drunk driving related crashes still involve males. Males are still twice as likely to be involved in fatal drunk driver car crashes. However, the percentage of male drunk drivers involved in fatal car crashes has fallen while the percentage of female drunk drivers involved in fatal car accidents has risen dramatically.

Continue reading "San Diego Car Accidents Increasingly Caused by Female Drunk Drivers" »