[03-31-2023] San Joaquin County, CA – Four Killed, Including Three UC Davis Students, in DUI Collision near Manteca

Four people were killed following a chain reaction collision in San Joaquin County on Friday morning, March 31, 2023.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the fatal crash occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on Highway 99 near Manteca and involved a black Honda Accord.

The northbound Honda rear-ended a U-Haul truck pulling a flatbed trailer south of French Camp Road, causing the U-Haul to hit a tractor-trailer. The Honda turned around and sped away, traveling the wrong way southbound in the northbound lanes. Nobody was injured.

North of Lathrop Road, the Honda then struck into a black Subaru Impreza, ending up in the center median and killing its female driver, who was only identified as a 32-year-old woman from Stockton.

The Subaru swerved into another lane and side-swiped a black GMC Denali pickup truck pulling a white utility trailer. The driver of the GMC was unharmed when it came to rest on the right shoulder.

The Subaru then collided head-on with a Black Chevrolet Suburban, and both ended up in the center median. The Chevy driver was hospitalized with serious injuries, while the three people in Subaru were killed.

The University of California, Davis, confirmed that the three killed people in the Subaru were UC Davis students. They were Minkyu G. of Hong Kong, Margarette V. of Virginia Beach, and Codi M. of Pasco, Washington.

CHP believes the Accord and Suburban drivers were driving under the influence of alcohol during the crash. The identity of the driver killed has not been released.

Fatal DUI Accident Statistics

Drunk driving was responsible for the deaths of 10,142 individuals in 2019 in the US. There were 949 fatalities in California due to drunk driving that year, or 2.4 deaths per every 100,000 residents. In the United States, there were 3.1 cases for per 100,000 individuals. One of the states with the greatest rates of fatalities due to drunk driving is California, with 26.3% (the national average is 28.1%).

Thousands of impaired drivers continue to put themselves, other drivers, and law enforcement in danger despite the fact that another study revealed a drop in fatalities and accidents caused by drunk driving since the 1980s.

In California, a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent is the cutoff for legal driving. Because of their slower reaction times and impaired decision-making, drunk drivers are a danger to pedestrians and other motorists.

What to Do After a DUI Accident

After a DUI car crash, the appropriate authorities should be notified without delay. When dealing with law enforcement or insurance companies, it is crucial to provide accurate information and avoid making any assumptions. If the victim apologizes despite being innocent, the insurance company may refuse to pay.

Contact the appropriate authorities if you wish to obtain a copy of the full report. We’ve also provided a fillable online form on this page for your ease of use. We can’t look at your issue without this information. During your no-cost appointment, one of our top lawyers will give your case their undivided attention.

DUI Accident Lawyers for Victims in San Joaquin County

Victims of drunk drivers in California have the right to sue for damages in a civil court of law. Please get in touch with us if you or a loved one requires assistance submitting an insurance claim following a recent injury or death. Our team of legal experts will review your case, explain what will happen next, and go over the factors that could influence the ultimate settlement offer.

Our trusted San Joaquin 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 $750 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.