DUI Wreck Injures 3 in South Lake Tahoe
I’m Ed Smith, a South Lake Tahoe Car Accident Lawyer. A woman was arrested after crashing into a tree, injuring herself and her passengers on Sunday, September, 17.
What Happened?
An unnamed, 21-year-old woman from Novato, California was driving with two other people along Pioneer Trail in a 2003 Mercedes Benz. It was early Sunday morning at 1:30 a.m. while they were driving along the curvy, two-lane road that runs southwest from Lake Tahoe Boulevard, near the state line, to the small community of Meyers. The driver of the Mercedes reported to the California State Patrol officers on scene that she saw some sort of animal on the roadway up ahead. While maneuvering to avoid the wildlife, she lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree.
The Driver was taken tot he Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Hospital with two broken legs. She will be arrested after she is released because officers discovered that she was intoxicated at the time of the incident. She will face charges of DUI and be held responsible for the injuries that her other passengers sustained in the crash. The two passengers were identified as a 27-year-old Las Vegas male and a 26-year-old male from South Lake Tahoe.
Injuries
When a person is involved in a car accident, their legs are often extended, pressing the brake pedal, clutch pedal, and/or footwell. The extension and force of the muscles can prevent the knee and ankle joints from bending to absorb the impact. This results in all of the force being transferred to the long bones of the legs such as the tibia, fibula, and femur. The driver of the Mercedes could have already been slamming the brakes to avoid the animal in the road when she impacted the tree, the force being great enough for her bones to break.
The other two passengers also suffered non-life threatening injuries. The South Lake Tahoe resident suffered from one or more fractures in his arm. This could have been the result of bracing for impact against the dashboard or a seat back. Many people reflexively brace for impact which involves putting their arms and legs out and pressing their head and back firmly against the seat. This may increase the chance of breaking an arm or leg, but it can, however, protect the vital organs in the chest and the head from more injury. The man from Las Vegas received facial lacerations from the impact. Hitting his head on a hard surface or broken glass can cause cuts to the head and face.
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South Lake Tahoe Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a South Lake Tahoe Car Accident Lawyer. For over three decades I have been serving the South Lake Tahoe and Northern California community recover their losses after accidents. If you have received injuries from an accident involving a drunk or otherwise negligent driver, call my office at 530-392-5400 or 800-404-5400 for free, friendly advice. I have 35 years of experience in helping people with car accident, wrongful death, and personal injury cases.
You can see my past verdicts and settlements on my website, autoaccident.com, along with valuable information for those seeking legal advice.
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