[02-15-2023] Fresno County, CA – Suspected DUI Driver Crashed into Bus of Special Needs Students

Authorities reported a two-vehicle DUI crash that turned a bus transporting special needs students on its side and resulted in possible injuries in Fresno County on Wednesday morning, February 15, 2023.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the suspected DUI collision occurred at about 8:10 a.m. at the intersection of Belmont Avenue and North Grantland Avenue in the unincorporated community of West Side.

A 34-year-old male driver was traveling southbound on Grantland when he ran through a stop sign and T-boned a bus, causing the bus to tip into its passenger side and skid for roughly 40 feet before coming to rest on its wheels. After the initial crash, the vehicle kept going through the junction and hit a dump truck.

The small bus, traveling east on Belmont, was carrying two children under the age of five when it got struck by the car. It remained unclear how many occupants were inside the bus during the crash. The extent of possible injuries was unknown, although the parents who picked up their children signed a waiver of declining medical assistance.

The bus driver declined medical help in treating a cut on his hand. He was detained on suspicion of driving under the influence. No other details were immediately available as further investigation continued.

DUI Accident Statistics

In 2019, drunk driving was directly responsible for 10,142 fatalities in the United States. Just in California, 949 people were killed. This translated to a rate of 2.4 per 100,000 people in the state, with the national average at 3.1. 26.3% of all traffic fatalities in the state that year were attributable to drunk driving, and 28.1% nationally.

According to a second research, the number of people killed in drunk driving accidents has gone down since the 1980s, but there are still millions of drunk drivers causing problems each year. In California, you cannot operate a motor vehicle with a BAC above 0.08 percent.

What to Do After a DUI Accident

If you’ve been in an automobile crash, call the police as soon as possible. Avoid making any assumptions when being questioned. Those who have been wronged may feel obligated to apologize even though they are completely innocent. An insurance company might reject a claim based on such conduct.

By requesting it from the proper authorities, a copy of the report can be obtained. Please fill out the form on our site to have us submit the request on your behalf. Your case will be processed once we have the report. We’ll gladly evaluate your claim at no cost, so please contact us immediately.

DUI Accident Lawyers for Victims in Fresno County

Anyone who has been hurt or lost a loved one due to someone else’s drunk driving in California can submit a claim for damages. You should get in touch with us right away if you or a loved one has just been injured or killed and you need assistance negotiating a fair settlement offer with the insurance company.

Our trusted Fresno County drunk driving accident victim lawyers at Arash Law, led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., have extensive experience advocating for accident victims, with awarded compensation totaling $500 million. Call (888) 488-1391 now or click the “Do I Have a Case?” on our website to set up a free consultation with one of our attorneys.