A 23-year-old man identified as Guadelupe Sanchez C. was killed after a wrong-way collision with a suspected DUI driver in Rohnert Park on early Friday morning, October 15.
The accident took place on Highway 101, just north of the Golf Course Drive exit, at approximately 4:45 a.m. A northbound Ford Edge was traveling in the wrong way in the right southbound lane and collided head-on with a southbound Mazda 3.
Due to the severity of the impact, the Mazda 3 driver was trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated by emergency personnel. He was then rushed to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and was listed in critical condition.
Unfortunately, the Mazda 3 driver later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead in the hospital. Meanwhile, the wrong-way driver was later identified as 26-year-old David S. Authorities determined that he was under the influence at the time of the accident.
The wrong-way driver was released by hospital staff and later booked into the Sonoma County Jail. An active investigation of the crash is currently underway.
Fatal Wrong-Way DUI Crash Statistics
When a car accident occurs, anyone involved is at risk of suffering severe injuries and even death. Because cars are so common, some motorists tend to forget how easily an accident can happen. Wrong-way drivers cause the deaths of approximately 355 Americans each year. A fatality rate per wrong-way collision of 1.34 has been calculated using an annual average of 265 fatalities.
Grave injuries such as spinal cord injury, paralysis, or brain trauma can result from wrong-way collisions when traveling the wrong way. So, in addition to expensive medical treatments, surgeries, therapies, and other injury-related care, the victim may also require special care. Distracted driving, drunk driving, and driver fatigue are all contributing factors to these collisions.
An intoxicated driver was to blame in this incident. In 2016, 1,059 people lost their lives in alcohol-impaired collisions, up from 911 in 2015 and 829 in 2012, respectively, a 16.2% and a 27.7% increase. In 2016, 29.2% of the 3,623 fatal car accidents involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, slightly more than the national average of 28%.
Wrongful Death Attorney for Victims of Wrong-Way DUI Collisions in Sonoma County
Car accident victims should contact an attorney as soon as possible after being injured in a car accident. Personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits are our primary focus at Arash Law. When someone has been injured in an accident, we help the victims and their families seek restitution.
Our lawyers will fight for your rights and help you get the compensation you deserve for your losses, injuries, and discomfort. The loss of a family member in a fatal drunk driving accident can be devastating and stressful. The pain and suffering they’ve endured can have long-term ramifications for them.
No one can bring back their loved ones, but they can get justice and compensation for the accident that took their lives. Our attorneys from Arash Law fight for the rights of injured people by putting our training, knowledge, and expertise to good use. After an accident, you and your family will require the services of an experienced California DUI accident victim lawyer.
Our DUI accident attorneys in California can assist you in putting together a powerful legal claim. In drunk driving accident cases, relevant evidence can take many forms. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact one of our offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, Riverside, Orange County, or San Diego. For a free consultation with one of our attorneys, call our toll-free number (888) 488-1391.