California residents, especially those holding a driver’s license, know the importance of paying attention to the road at every moment. Tragic motor vehicle accidents often happen due to only a few seconds of distraction, and certainly, a driver is more likely to become distracted if he or she is acting recklessly and/or negligently — for example, impairment, speeding, etc. In the case of a recent fatal four-vehicle collision, the driver believed responsible has been arrested after authorities determined alcohol was a factor.
Driver rear-ends box truck
The horrific incident happened very early on a Saturday morning on the Ventura Freeway in Sherman Oaks. According to a California Highway Patrol officer, a young woman driving an eastbound vehicle rear-ended a box truck. The impact caused both vehicles to hit the center divider wall. The box truck ended up in the westbound lane, where it collided with a westbound vehicle. The woman driving that vehicle was taken to a hospital for treatment of major injuries.
Driver arrested for DUI
Sadly, two passengers in the box truck died in the crash — a 50-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy — both Santa Maria residents. Reportedly, a fourth vehicle traveling west was hit by debris from the divider wall; fortunately, that driver was not injured. The 20-year-old driver who caused the initial crash was transported to a hospital and treated for moderate injuries. Once investigators determined alcohol was a factor in the incident, that driver was arrested.
Each person holding a driver’s license has a serious responsibility to take all possible safety measures before getting behind the wheel and while driving. Unfortunately, one person’s failure to do so has ended horribly, with two people dead and another seriously injured. In this type of situation, often, victims or surviving family members are looking for accountability, and typically, they also face significant extra expenses due to funeral costs, medical bills, lost income, etc. In Tennessee, as in all states, personal injury attorneys are available to discuss options moving forward.