[04-22-2022] Fresno County, CA – 58-Year-Old Man Killed in Fatal DUI Crash in Selma

According to the California Highway Patrol investigators, a 58-year-old man identified as Daryl B. was killed in a fatal DUI accident in Selma on Friday, April 22.

CHP officials received calls about an accident involving a vehicle and a person near Rose and Highland Avenues in Selma around 10:30 p.m.

Officials from the Fresno County Coroner’s Office have identified the victim as Daryl B., 58, of Selma. Pedro C., 27, the driver, has also been arrested, according to authorities.

According to the investigators, Cortez was driving east on Rose Avenue when his car drifted into the westbound lane, striking Bagwell, who was walking in the street.

Bagwell was pronounced dead at the scene.

CHP officers believe Cortez was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and used the license plate left at the scene to identify him as the driver.

Cortez was arrested and booked into the Fresno County jail on felony DUI, felony gross vehicular manslaughter, and felony hit-and-run causing great bodily injury charges.

Fatal DUI Accident Statistics

It is extremely dangerous to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They put not only themselves but also other motorists in danger.

Those who are involved in drunk driving accidents face long-term consequences that can be life-altering. Since the late 1970s, the number of drunk driving incidents in the United States has steadily increased.

According to NHTSA data, drunk-driving accidents kill an average of 30 people a day in the United States. Nearly a quarter of all traffic-related deaths in the United States are attributable to alcohol-impaired driving.

Nearly a quarter of all traffic deaths in the United States were caused by drunk drivers in 2016. Drinking and driving was responsible for 17% of all deaths involving children under the age of 14 in 2016.

More than 1,000 people were killed in California last year as a result of drunk driving-related accidents, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Thousands of people have lost their lives or suffered serious injuries as a result of drunk driving.

Fresno County DUI Accident Lawyer for Victims

If someone is hurt or killed because of a drunk driver, every effort should be made to help them. Victims of an accident caused by a drunk driver should gather and present evidence to prove that the drunk driver was solely responsible.

For example, additional defendants may have been responsible for a drunk driving accident. For those who have been injured or killed in a California DUI accident, all possible avenues for monetary compensation should be thoroughly investigated and evaluated.

Our Fresno County DUI accident lawyers at Arash Law will investigate every avenue of compensation for our clients’ damages. They should be held accountable for their actions and be punished accordingly for intoxicated driving.
As much money as possible for medical bills and supporting families is Arash Law’s primary goal.

We urge you to contact our legal team as soon as possible if a drunk driver in California has injured you or a loved one. Arash Law can be reached by phone at (888) 488-1391 or by filling out our online contact form.