Single-Vehicle Crash Ends in Arrest and Injuries
In the early morning hours of Sunday, May 30, 2021, American Canyon Police reported that a single-vehicle accident resulted in the driver going to jail and his passenger going to the hospital. This Napa County crash occurred shortly after 2:00 a.m.
Witnesses Describe Details of the Crash
Police officers were dispatched to American Canyon Road in the vicinity of Via Firenze at 2:11 a.m. Upon arrival, they found the subject vehicle overturned onto its side. Eyewitnesses reported to authorities that they saw two men exit the vehicle and flee on foot.
The Aftermath of the Napa County Crash
The driver of the crashed vehicle was subsequently identified as Ronaldo Perez-Ruiz, a 22-year-old resident of Fairfield, California. American Canyon police officers detained Perez-Ruiz approximately half a mile away from the crash site, according to a police sergeant. Mr. Perez-Ruiz was booked and held at the Napa County Jail. He is being investigated for driving under the influence and causing injury, in addition to leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in injuries.
The vehicle’s passenger sustained injuries of unknown severity. He was transported to Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center for evaluation and treatment.
Apparent Errors in Judgement Made by the Driver
While the information currently available regarding this Napa County crash is preliminary, from the limited report, there are a number of mistakes that the driver of the crashed vehicle may have made. Let us explore the law surrounding those alleged mistakes.
- Driving Under the Influence. It is not clear whether Mr. Perez-Ruiz was suspected to be under the influence of drugs or of alcohol, but it is illegal to be impaired by either while operating a motor vehicle. California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a) states that it is illegal for anyone under the influence of alcohol to operate a vehicle. Subpart (b) of the same section specifies the blood alcohol limit of 0.08 percent. Subpart (f) extends the illegality to anyone under the influence of any drug, and subpart (g) specifies that it is illegal to drive under the combined influence of any drug and any alcoholic beverage.
- Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident. Mr. Perez-Ruiz was detained by police approximately half a mile from the crash site. Witnesses reported that they saw him leave the vehicle and the accident scene on foot. Vehicle Code 20001(a) lays out that it is required by law that the driver of a vehicle that was in an accident that resulted in injuries or death to a person other than the driver must stop the vehicle immediately at the scene. There are other sections of the California Vehicle Code that apply if such an accident involves two vehicles, however, this was a single-car crash. Since the injured passenger reportedly also left the scene, it is possible that these charges could be dropped, since it would seem that the spirit of the law would be intended to prevent a driver from leaving an injured passenger at the scene without assistance.
All opinions posted herein are based on the information reported in the Napa Valley Register.
Watch the YouTube video. Below is a video uploaded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on ways to curb drunk and drugged driving.
Napa Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading our report on this recent Napa County crash. My name is Ed Smith, and I am a personal injury lawyer servicing the Napa County region. Every day on our Northern California highways, negligence, carelessness, and recklessness cause motor vehicle accidents. Many such accidents cause serious injuries. Too many are fatal car crashes. If your life has been affected by a collision caused by a negligent driver, please call us for compassionate, free, and friendly advice. Our local number is (707) 564-1900. From outside the (707) area code, feel free to use our toll-free line: (800) 404-5400.
To learn more about our firm and to read about what our clients think of our legal services, please visit the links below:
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/handcuffs-shackles-guilty-sentence-3655288/
mm llo [cs 709]