Vallejo DUI Fatalities
I’m Ed Smith, a Vallejo wrongful death lawyer. As a recent collision has illustrated all too clearly, driving a vehicle while intoxicated is incredibly dangerous and liable to cause serious injuries and even death.
Recent Vallejo DUI Death
The most recent DUI accident to affect the community of Vallejo occurred on Thursday, November 30, 2017, when 43-year-old Vallejo resident Salvador Bustos died after the vehicle he was riding as a passenger in reportedly drove off an off-ramp on Highway 780. California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the incident occurred at about 9:15 p.m.
The vehicle had been driven by Faafiu Faafiu Jr, a 43-year-old Hawaii resident. Faafiu was heading east from Glen Cove when he veered off of the road toward the northeast. His vehicle reportedly went down a nearby embankment and rolled over multiple times before coming to a stop on Highway 780, where it was hit by a passing Chevy sedan being driven by an 81-year-old Benicia resident.
Injuries
CHP said that neither occupant of Faafiu’s vehicle had been wearing a seatbelt when the accident occurred and that both men were ejected as the vehicle overturned. Bustos was pronounced dead-on-scene by responding paramedics and Faafiu was found with minor injuries. The Benicia man reportedly did not sustain any injuries.
Our heartfelt sympathies are extended to the family and friends of Mr. Bustos.
DUI Arrest
Responding officers arrested Faafiu at the collision site on charges of felony DUI, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and misdemeanor driving with a suspended driver’s license.
DUI in Vallejo
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that about one-third of fatal injury car accidents are caused by driving under the influence and in Vallejo, the fact that DUI contributes to fatalities is clear.
UC Berkeley research data indicates that, out of 3,352 injury-related accidents that occurred in Vallejo over the past eight years, 378 involved alcohol (roughly 11 percent). However, out of 54 total fatal accidents, DUI was a factor in 20 of them. This means that, while DUI accidents only accounted for about 11 percent of all injury-related collisions, they accounted for nearly 60 percent of accident fatalities.
These statistics make it clear that driving under the influence greatly increases your risk of dying or taking somebody else’s life in a Vallejo auto accident.
DUI and Liability
When a driver is found to have been intoxicated at the time of an accident, they can be held liable to pay for the damages that their reckless actions have caused. Additionally, parties who provided the driver with alcohol, drugs, or access to a motor vehicle knowing that they would drive under the influence can also be held financially responsible for damages. It is important to contact a wrongful death lawyer in Vallejo to help protect your rights and/or help you recover compensation in the case of personal injuries or wrongful death.
More From Wrongful Death Lawyer in Vallejo CA:
Vallejo Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Vallejo wrongful death lawyer. If a motor vehicle accident has killed someone you love, please take a moment and call us at (707) 564-1900 for friendly, free advice regarding your case. People in other areas can also use AutoAccident.com and (800) 404-5400.
For more than 35 years, I’ve practiced in the Vallejo area in order to assist families and individuals dealing with wrongful death and personal injury with receiving the recompense they are owed.
I’ve been reviewed on Google, Avvo, and Yelp.
I’m in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a national forum for trial lawyers with past verdicts and settlements for client cases with values over one million USD.
See my Previous Verdicts and Settlements.
AutoAccident.com is the best web resource in Northern California for valuable information and articles about the topics of personal injury and auto accidents.
image: “drunk driving” by stevepb through CC0 Creative Commons
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