Submitted by Aiken Jacobsen on
Police suspect that a drunk driver caused a three-vehicle crash that injured nine people. The June 3 auto accident happened at about 10:15 p.m. at the intersection of North Fairview and West 17th streets in Santa Ana.
According to police, a car driven by a 23-year-old man ran a red light at the intersection and crashed into an Orange County Transit Authority bus, causing the car to flip. In turn, the bus hit a truck towing a trailer, authorities said. Altogether, nine people suffered injuries in the wreck.
The 23-year-old man driving the car suffered moderate injuries in the accident, reportedly. He received treatment for those injuries at UC Irvine Medical Center. Police indicated that the man was impaired at the time of the accident and charged him with DUI.
Irrespective of the criminal charges filed in connection with this incident, the 23-year-old driver may be held accountable for the wreck in civil court if investigatory efforts were to indicate that he was in fact responsible for the accident. That is because people who suffer damages in an auto accident have the right to pursue civil action regardless of any criminal proceedings that might stem from the same accident.
For example, people who are injured in a crash may retain a personal injury lawyer and file a claim against the driver whose actionable behavior, such as driving under the influence, caused the crash. If successful, accident victims may receive financial compensation for the medical aid that they received as well as any rehabilitation and therapy necessitated by their injuries. Moreover, accident victims might be awarded restitution for lost income if they were unable to work due to their injuries.
Source: ABC 7, "Santa Ana Bus Crash Leaves 9 People Injured", June 04, 2014
