When you live in Encinitas or in a nearby part of North County, you likely know about the risks of alcohol-impaired driving. We often hear about DUI laws in California and the serious consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights how an average of 28 people sustain fatal injuries in car accidents each day caused by drunk drivers (or, to put that number another way, one person dies every 51 minutes because a driver decided to drink and drive).

What about drugged driving? How does smoking or otherwise consuming marijuana affect a person’s ability to drive safely? How often do prescription drugs or illegal substances play a role in serious and fatal car accidents in Encinitas? According to a recent report from the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS), the FDA’s newly finalized study provides guidance on drugged driving.

Drugged Driving Laws in California

Before we discuss the FDA’s guidance on drugged driving, it is important to understand how California law deals with impaired driving, from drunk driving to drugged driving. Under California Vehicle Code Section 23152, in addition to making it illegal for a person to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, the law also clarifies that it is “unlawful for a person who is addicted to the use of any drug to drive a vehicle.” In addition, the law makes it unlawful “for a person who is under the influence of any drug to drive a vehicle” and “for a person who is under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug to drive a vehicle.”

The law clearly lays out how a person’s BAC can be a firm indicator of unlawful driving while impaired by alcohol. However, the statute is not quite as clear when it comes to determining whether a person is under the influence of a drug, particularly in situations in which a person might indeed be impaired by drug use, but the drug might be a legally prescribed one or an otherwise legal substance.

FDA Guidance on Drugged Driving

While the use of illegal substances can result in drugged driving, the FDA guidance is concerned primarily with impaired driving caused by lawful drugs. How does the FDA recommend determining whether drugged driving has occurred? The FDA recommends focusing on “five broad functional domains important to driving ability” when considering a person’s level of impairment, including the following:

• Driver’s level of alertness, arousal, and wakefulness;
• Driver’s attention and processing speed;
• Reaction time and psychomotor functions of the driver;
• Driver’s sensory-perceptual functioning; and
• Driver’s executive functions.

These factors are primarily designed to determine impairment for psychoactive drugs. The FDA recognizes that drugmakers and law enforcement officials will also need to consider factors that could determine impairment when a person as taken non-psychoactive drugs. In the end, it is important to consider the specific effects of drugs, and to take them on a case-by-case basis in assessing how they might affect a driver’s level of impairment.

Do you have questions about filing a drugged driving claim? An Escondido car accident lawyer can assist with your case. Contact the Walton Law Firm today to speak with a personal injury attorney.

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(image courtesy of Kalu Ci)

There is a new impaired-driving law that will take effect in San Diego in 2019, but right now, the law is already in force in certain counties in California, according to a report from AutoConnectedCar.com. Late last year, California Governor Brown signed SB 1046 into law, a piece of legislation that “establishes a statewide ignition interlock device (IID) program to prevent drunk drivers from re-offending.”

Background Information: SB 1046 and the Ignition Interlock Device Program

Given that impaired driving is a major cause of car accidents in California, it is important to take steps to prevent these crashes from occurring in the first place. Changes to California’s law when it comes to ignition interlock devices could be one such significant step in prevent crashes caused by alcohol-impaired driving. According to David Kelly, the Executive Director of the Coalition of Ignition Interlock Manufacturers (CIIM), “this new law is a positive step forward to help slow the revolving door of unlicensed, uninsured drunk drivers who continue driving at the public’s peril.”

As we mentioned, the law is already in effect in a number of California counties. The IID program began as a pilot program in Alameda County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, and Tulare County. When Governor Brown signed the legislation, he extended the program in those counties until January 1, 2019, at which time it will take effect in all counties in the state.

What, precisely, will the new law do? It will help to limit the number of drunk drivers on the road who have been arrested previously for drunk driving by “encouraging DUI offenders to participate in a supervised IID program immediately after their driver’s license is suspended.” That program gives the DUI offender “unrestricted driving privileges,” thereby allowing the offender to get to work or to run necessary errands, while also requiring the offender to use the IID in order to start the car. In other words, there are benefits to the offender and to the public: No DUI offender will be able to get behind the wheel of his or her car without proving that there is no alcohol in his or her system.

Get the Facts: DUIs in California

According to the report, anywhere between 50 to 75% of DUI offenders in California drive on suspended licenses. In other words, those DUI offenders drive illegally, and the fact that their licenses have been suspended does not prevent them from getting behind the wheel. Every year, about 1,000 fatalities result from alcohol-impaired motor vehicle accidents in California alone. That statistic does not account for the additional 20,000 injuries that result from crashes caused by impaired driving.

Can IID programs really make a difference? According to MADD, “ignition interlock devices have stopped more than one million drinking-and-driving attempts since 2010 in the four counties participating in California’s . . . pilot program.” As such, there are hopes that, once the law takes effect in all California counties in 2019, we will see a reduction in the number of motor vehicle accidents caused by drunk driving.

In the meantime, if you or someone you love sustained injuries in a motor vehicle collision in Southern California, a San Diego car accident attorney can discuss your options with you. Contact the Walton Law Firm for more information.

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(image courtesy of Rsheram)

According to a recent report from NPR, car accidents are the leading cause of death for American teenagers, and in a surprisingly high number of those crashes, alcohol plays a role. About 25% of all teenage traffic collisions involve alcohol. In states where there are substantial restrictions on alcohol usage and serious repercussions for impaired driving, the rate of teenage auto accident fatalities tends to be lower, according to a recent study reported by NPR. What do the findings of this new study tell us? California and states across the country should put policies into place that help to curb teens’ purchase and use of alcohol, and to take steps to make the consequences of drinking and driving more severe.

Regulations on Alcohol Sales for the General Population When we talk about regulations aimed at limiting the purchase of alcohol and its consumption by underage teen drivers, what kinds of regulations are we thinking about in practice? According to the NPR report, there are a number of regulations that can accomplish these goals with relative ease, and all of them target the general population. In other words, policies aimed strictly at teens do not tend to have the results we want. Rather, it is important to consider regulations that would limit alcohol purchases for everyone, including San Diego residents who can legally purchase it. Examples of these policies include but are not limited to:

• Limiting the total hours in a day or week that stores can sell alcohol;
• 
  Restricting the “density of alcohol outlets in a particular area”; and
• 
  Increasing the taxes on sales of alcohol.

Can pricing practices and the potential increase of alcohol tax actually prevent teens from drinking? According to Scott Hadland, the lead author of the study who also is a physician of adolescent medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, “younger people are very sensitive to the price of alcohol.” Indeed, Hadland went on to explain that when it comes to teens and alcohol, “they are unable to consume it to the same extent because it becomes very expensive.”

Policies Aimed at Teens Who Drink and Drive While regulations that impact the general population tend to be among the most effective at limiting alcohol-related teenage car accidents, there are also some policies aimed at teens that can be effective. For instance, the NPR report cites two specific policies:

• Those holding parents accountable for teenage drinking on their properties; and
• 
  Graduated driver’s license (GDL) programs.

In case you do not know about graduating driver’s license programs, they “restrict new drivers until they reach a certain and experience level.” The restrictions imposed by GDL programs can vary, including restrictions on:

• Cell phone use in the car;
• 
  Nighttime driver; and
• 
  Number of passengers permitted in the vehicle.

Contact a San Diego Car Accident Lawyer If you or someone you love recent suffered serious or fatal injuries in a car crash involving an impaired driver, and experienced San Diego auto accident lawyer can assist with your case. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more about filing a claim for compensation.

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), California is among the top states when it comes to pedestrian fatalities. If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident case, it’s important to speak to an experienced injury attorney as soon as possible. In California, there’s a two-year statute of limitations from the date of the accident, and you’ll need to file before then in order to be eligible for compensation. Contact us today to discuss your claim.

Details of the Valley Center Accident

On Sunday, a couple in their late 70s died when Earl Smith Jr., 20, of Oceanside, crashed into them in his 2011 Toyota Corolla. The couple had been walking eastbound on Old Castle Road near Mauka Drive when Smith’s vehicle hit them. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Smith was arrested at the scene of the crash. The CHP took him to the Vista detention center, where they booked him on “suspicion of felony driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular manslaughter.” The accident occurred at 6:15 a.m., and the CHP reports that the investigation remains open.

While the CHP hasn’t released the identities of the victims, the CHP did describe them as a 79-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman. Neighbors in the area knew the couple as “Mr. and Mrs. Ackermann,” and UT San Diego reported that the couple “walked in the mornings holding hands in Valley Center.” The neighbors were shocked to learn that the couple had been killed, noting that “their walking ritual had endeared them to the community.”

Michael Dodge, who has lived in the neighborhood for 12 years, reminisced about the couple’s walking routine. He said, “I didn’t know them personally, but everyone knew them. I think everyone is in shock. The first thing that I could think of was that they probably died doing the same thing they did every day—holding hands.”

This pedestrian accident is especially tragic, and unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon occurrence on Old Castle Road. The area is heavily driven by people headed to the local casinos, and Dodge described the road as “an accident hotspot.”

Pedestrian Safety Tips

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pedestrians are among the most vulnerable users of our roadways. A pedestrian is anyone who travels by foot, wheelchair, stroller, or similar means. In 2010 alone, more than 4,200 pedestrians were killed, and 70,000 were injured. Do you know how to stay safe? Here are some key tips from the CDC:

· Always cross at a designated crosswalk. · Always walk on a sidewalk where possible, but if you have to walk in the streets, always walk facing traffic. · Be especially careful when you’re at an intersection—drivers can fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians when they’re turning onto a different road. · Make yourself visible by wearing retro-reflective clothing and carrying a flashlight at night.

Pedestrian accidents can be scary and upsetting for victims and their loved ones. If you have been injured, you may be eligible for compensation. A pedestrian accident lawyer can discuss your claim with you today.

Photo Credit: kevin dooley via Compfight cc

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Hidden Dangers at the Store

Sheriff Deputy Strikes Pedestrian in San Marcos

For example, imagine that you are hosting a large New Year’s Eve party. You have invited all of your friends, and almost everyone accepted the invitation. Your home is full of people who may not know one another, and alcohol is consumed as a social lubricant. Everyone is having a great time, eating and drinking and enjoying the night. Unfortunately, because it is your party and there are a lot of guests, you have not been able to closely observe to ensure that no one is becoming too intoxicated. A few hours after the ball has dropped and the party has ended, you receive a call that one of your guests had too much to drink at the party and was involved in a car accident on their way home.

In some states, under social host liability, you could potentially be held liable for the accident and forced to pay some or even all of the damages. The theory behind such laws is that the social host has at least some control over the amount of alcohol consumed by his or her guests. Of course, as the above example illustrates, that is not always the case, since it is difficult to keep track of every guest’s alcohol consumption in a large party. In addition, it is not often easy for party hosts to even track when a guest has departed for home.

In California, you cannot be found liable in a civil suit as a social host if a party guest injures someone else or causes property damage. However, it should be noted that a party host may be found civilly liable for serving alcohol to someone under the age of 21, particularly if they knew the person was not old enough to drink.

However, while there is generally not civil liability for social hosts, that does not mean they are completely off the hook. Social hosts may still face criminal charges for furnishing alcohol to someone who is clearly intoxicated or to a minor if the minor has a sufficient blood alcohol concentration. In fact, the minor does not even need to cause any damage or injury anyone for a social host to face criminal charges, because it is illegal in California to provide alcohol to anyone underage.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com]

In the past 30 years, drunk driving has become a focus for many governments, particularly after Mothers Against Drunk Driving was founded in 1980. Groups like MADD petitioned and lobbied the government to enact stricter penalties against driving while intoxicated and to lower the limit for blood alcohol content while driving. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, drunk driving accidents still occur with alarming frequency. More than 1/3 of all fatal car accidents in California are alcohol-related.

While most of the focus on drunk driving is on the criminal side, there is also civil liability for a drunk driver when someone else is injured or killed. Unlike the criminal system, where the drunk driver will face jail time, in the civil law system, the injured person or their family may seek monetary compensation for the injuries and damage sustained by the victim and their family.

If the victim was injured in an alcohol-related crash, they may seek damages against the drunk driver. The victim is entitled to damages for medical costs. Medical costs may include any out-of-pocket expenses that the victim had to pay including insurance co-pays, prescription co-pays, and over-the-counter medications. The medical costs will also include reimbursements for any expenses that the victim’s health insurance company incurred, like hospital and doctor bills, and prescription medication costs. The victim may also seek payment for any lost wages, when they were unable to work due to the injuries sustained. The victim often also is entitled to compensation for the pain and suffering they experienced as a result of their injuries. Finally, the victim can sometimes seek punitive damages, designed to punish the drunk driver for his or her improper conduct to reduce their chance of repeated offenses.

If the victim of an alcohol-related crash is killed as a result, the family of the victim may recover against the drunk driver. Families may seek damages for loss of society and companionship, which is the loss of the positive benefits from the relationship between the victim and his or her immediate family. Spouses may seek damages for loss of consortium, which is the loss of affection, companionship and sexual relations typically enjoyed between spouses. The family may also recover for the victim’s pain and suffering, if they can prove that he or she suffered before passing on. Families may recover for the cost of a funeral as well. Finally, families may also seek punitive damages against the drunk driver in many cases.

In the event that the victim is injured or killed in a car driven by the drunk driver, the situation can become somewhat more difficult. Typically, the drunk driver or their insurance company will raise an assumption of the risk defense. Essentially, they will argue that the victim knew or should have known that the driver was intoxicated and therefore assumed any risk involved. Often they try to show that the driver smelled of alcohol or had slurred speech, to prove that the victim should have known. If they can prove that the victim assumed the risk, then the victim may not recover anything. Such defenses make it clear that drunk driving accidents are extremely complicated, and seeking legal counsel is recommended.

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This report demonstrates that in spite of an increased focus on drunk driving and a greater emphasis on arresting those who drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, there are still far too many drivers getting behind the wheel after having too much to drink. Indeed, drunk driving continues to be one of the biggest contributors to San Diego car accidents, even though the last few decades have seen citizens across the state and across the nation rally to increase awareness, safety regulations, and enforcement.

Like most, our San Diego car accident attorney would like to see the number of drunk drivers on the road decrease in 2012. One of the reasons that drunk driving continues to be so prevalent is that there continues to be a lack of adequate social pressure to counteract the tendency of bar patrons and party-goers to believe that they are “okay to drive” even when they have been drinking. The problem is that, unlike with many other crimes, fellow bar patrons are often unwilling to try to dissuade their friends from driving and even less unwilling to confiscate keys, especially when the driver is not obviously impaired. Additionally, people metabolize alcohol at different rates, and a drink that puts one person over the legal limit may not even put another person close to the legal limit. Therefore, it can be difficult for people to tell if they themselves are impaired, let alone their friends.

As we move into the new year, our San Diego injury attorney would like to encourage everyone to do his or her part to curtail drunk driving in San Diego and throughout the rest of the state. If you are going out with friends, always have a designated driver and make sure he or she sticks to that role all night. If you often go out with the same group of friends, take turns being the designated driver. If you cannot find anyone to drive, spend the few extra dollars to take a taxi home at the end of the night. The money you spend on a cab is negligible next to the amount you will pay in fines, court costs, and attorney fees if you are caught driving drunk or even worse, if you injure or kill someone because you got behind the wheel when you should not have.

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San Diego Drunk Driving Arrests Increase

Study Confirms No Amount of Alcohol Safe for Drivers

The trend in San Diego and Orange Counties is not isolated. A quick online search for Thanksgiving drunk driving searches reveals that San Diego drunk driving arrests are up in states across the country, from California to Maine and everywhere in between. The time of the year Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day is notorious for having the highest rate of drunk driving incidents. Work holidays and long weekends give rise to later nights, more parties, and more alcohol, all of which lead to more people getting behind the wheel when they really should not.

The legal blood alcohol content limit in California is .08 percent. The amount of alcohol that it will take to get a particular person to that level varies depending on the weight and metabolism of the drinker, as well as the alcohol content in the beverage and how fast it is consumed. Some people, especially those who do not drink very often, experience impairment at lower levels. The best practice is simply not to drive if you have been drinking.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that in 2010, there were 112 million incidents of drunk driving in the United States, many of which were never discovered. The CDC also reports that 1 in every 3 car accident fatalities involves an impaired driver, with well over 10,000 people dying every year in drunk driving accidents. Many others suffer severe, sometimes permanent, injuries.

If you are involved in a car crash, the first thing you should always do is call the police. Even if the damage to your vehicle appears to be minimal and you aren’t in any pain, you could still be injured. If there are any witnesses to the accident, ask them to stay until the police arrive so that their statements can be taken while their memories are fresh. If they can’t stay, at least get their names and phone numbers so that they can be contacted later. Also, be sure to see a doctor as soon as possible after the accident. Often, an accident causes an adrenaline rush, which can mask symptoms of injuries in the immediate aftermath.

If you have been the victim of a drunk or otherwise impaired driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Our San Diego car accident lawyer knows how difficult it can be to deal with injuries and ongoing pain from an accident. He can help you determine your rights and start putting your life back together.

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One such incident occurred this week right here in San Diego. Local television station News 10 reported that two young women were struck by an apparently drunk man around 2:30 a.m. on Friday as they were attempting to cross 63rd Street near San Diego State University. The two women were dragged about 30 feet by the vehicle before they were freed. The driver, upon realizing that he had hit them, pulled over and stopped his car. A witness to the incident approached the vehicle with the intention of ensuring that the driver did not try to run away and observed that the driver appeared to be intoxicated. Police were summoned to the scene, where they conducted a sobriety test and then arrested the driver.

There is never an excuse for driving while intoxicated. Anyone who drives drunk puts the lives of everyone else on the road, including pedestrians, at risk. Here in San Diego, in addition to public transportation options, there are even two companies – BeMyDD and Safe Ride Solutions – who provide driving services in which someone will actually come and drive the vehicle home so that the owner does not have to retrieve it the following day. These companies operate specifically to assist people who have had too much to drink and should not be driving.

Unfortunately, in spite of all the available resources, far too many drivers get behind the wheel when they should not, either because they think that they have not had too much to drink or because they simply do not think that anything will happen to them. Sadly, something often does happen, and many times, it involves an innocent victim who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like the young victims in this latest San Diego pedestrian accident.

If you have been injured by a drunk driver, you may be entitled to compensation for the harm you suffered. Our San Diego car accident lawyer would like to help you determine what your rights are and whether you are entitled to receive damages from losses you sustained. If you are in an accident and suspect the other driver may have been drinking, you should always ask the police to conduct a sobriety test. Being able to prove that the other driver was intoxicated is very helpful to your case. If you have already been in an accident, please call our office today to set up a free, no-obligation consultation with our San Diego accident attorney. He will discuss your case with you and assist you in deciding where to go from here. As with any kind of injury, injuries caused by a drunk driver should always be treated fully in accordance with recommendations by your doctor. Protect your health, and let us help you protect your rights.

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Study Confirms No Amount of Alcohol Safe for Drivers

Man with Multiple Drunk Driving Arrests Convicted of Manslaughter

“Accidents are 36.6 percent more severe even when alcohol was barely detectable in a driver’s blood,” researchers said. Even with a BAC of 0.01, there are 4.33 serious injuries for every non-serious injury versus 3.17 for sober drivers.

The study can be accessed by clicking here.

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

The San Diego County drunk driving accident lawyers at Walton Law Firm provide free consultations to individuals who have suffered injury or personal loss due to the negligence or recklessness of others, including cases of car accidents, motorcycle accidents, animal bites, defective road design, pedestrian injuries, worksite injuries, and wrongful death claims. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free and confidential consultation.

After the accident, Miranda fled the scene. He was later arrested at his apartment, where authorities found that his blood alcohol level was .23 over an hour after the accident. He was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter. But remarkably, this wasn’t the first time Miranda had been busted for driving under the influence. It wasn’t even his second or third time. This man had prior convictions for drunk driving in 1995, 1997, and 2004, and never served more than a week in jail.

His defense attorney argued that the accident, and the death of Aquino, wasn’t the fault of Miranda, but by the driver of the Mercedes Benz, who started the fatal chain of events. The jury of eight women and four men didn’t buy it, and convicted Miranda after about seven hours of deliberation.

Source: OC Register

The Southern California accident and injury attorneys at Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of accidents, including auto accidents, worksite injuries, nursing home neglect, food poisoning, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, property injuries, and malpractice matters. Call at (760) 571-5500 for a free and confidential consultation, or fill out an online inquiry.

Despite the trend downward, driving under the influence continues to be a serious problem. In 2008 (the most recent statistics), nearly 12, 000 people were killed in the United States because of drunk drivers. At Walton Law Firm, we have represented numerous victims of drunk driving accidents. The effort by various states to curb drinking and driving, though, has paid off. In 2007, over 20,000 people were killed in drunk driving accidents, nearly twice the number of the following year. Of all the states, Vermont has the lowest fatality rate, and Montana the highest.

Based on an Insurance.com survey of traffic violations involving drunk drivers, here are the rankings for the top 20 large metropolitan areas:

1. San Diego, CA 2. San Jose, CA 3. Charlotte, NC 4. Phoenix, AZ 5. Columbus, OH 6. Indianapolis, IN 7. Los Angeles, CA 8. San Francisco, CA 9. Austin, TX 10. Jacksonville, FL 11. San Antonio, TX 12. Dallas, TX 13. Houston, TX 14. Fort Worth, TX 15. Memphis, TN 16. Philadelphia, PA 17. New York, NY 18. Baltimore, MD 19. Chicago, IL 20. Detroit, MI Source: SayEducate.com

The accident and injury attorneys at Walton Law Firm represent individuals who have been injured in all types of accidents, including auto accidents, worksite injuries, nursing home neglect, food poisoning, pedestrian injuries, construction accidents, property injuries, and malpractice matters. Call at (760) 571-5500 for a free and confidential consultation, or fill out an online inquiry.

Ortiz’s husband, Frank Ortiz, a marine, was devastated. He told the Union Tribune, “I lost two in a tragic accident – my wife and son.” The unborn son was going to be named Romeo Francisco.

According to reports, Ortiz and two friends were waiting in her car, just behind the vehicle with the flat tire when the accident occurred. Tragically, her husband had gone out looking for her when he drove upon the scene, which he described as looking “like a movie.” He was informed at the scene that his wife had died. The two other women were taken to area hospitals with major injuries.

Ortiz was originally from Los Angeles, and moved to San Diego eight years ago. A memorial service has been set for 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Paradise Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church, 2701 E. 8th Street, in National City.

Here is a Channel 8 video about the accident:

Source: San Diego Union Tribune and KFMB Channel 8

UPDATE (1/7/10): This sad story of the death of Elaina Luquis-Ortiz continues to generate a lot of media attention. Today’s Union Tribune has a long story abut the arraignment of the drunk driver, Joseph Venegas, and his failure to attend. Apparently Venegas is being held in “medical isolation” in County Jail, presumably because of injuries he received in the New Year’s Eve crash.

Venegas absence upset the victim’s family, who was eager to see and confront the man who took Elaina’s life, and that of her unborn child.

To read the entire story, click here.

The accident and injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm represent individuals and families who have been impacted by accidents of all kinds, including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, construction accident. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free consultation.

North of El Cajon, Cydil Kohlmeyer was walking near the 1200 block of Pepper Drive when a pickup truck being driven by 51-year-old Deborah Felix lost control and struck Kohlmeyer. After striking Kohlmeyer, the truck struck a parked car, a nearby fence, and then traveled over a front year and into a home. Neighbors ran outside and detained Felix, who tried to run from the scene. She was later arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving.

The other incident occurred in Poway, where Kristen Bedard, age 36, was walking northbound on Community Road when a vehicle travelling southbound veered onto the sidewalk and striking her. The driver of the vehicle, who was not identified, is suspected of driving under the influence. An investigation is ongoing.

Sources: North County Times and 10News.com

The accident and injury lawyers at Encinitas Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have been injured in all types of accidents, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, construction accident. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free consultation. Vista Car Accident

According to reports, five high school students from Torrey Pines High School piled into a Mazda 3 after a party and headed north on La Granada near the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club. The car was speeding, and the driver failed to negotiate a curve, careening off the road and through a wooden fence before rolling over.

One boy in the car was ejected, and suffered major head and died at the scene. Another boy, Jamie Arnold, suffered serious injuries and was transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital. Arnold was also not belted at the time of the accident. Two other passengers and the driver were not injured.

The driver, a classmate of the boys, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of drunk driving and taken to Juvenile Hall.

Source: North County Times

The San Diego personal injury and accident lawyers at the Walton Law Firm represent individuals and families who have been injured in all types of accidents, including automobile accidents. Call 760-571-5500 for a free consultation.

Galvan had to be removed from the car by fire fighters, and was suspected as suffering from a broken leg. Five other people involved had minor injuries.

Several more photos of the accident can be found by clicking here.

Source: North County Times

The car accident and injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have been injured in all types of accidents. Call (760) 571-5500 for a free consultation.

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department reported four arrests in Encinitas, San Marcos and Vista each, and the arrest of an intoxicated bicyclist in Solana Beach. Carlsbad only reported on DUI arrest.

Only one serious accident was reported in North County. In Oceanside, a 30-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries when he was ejected from his vehicle after crashing near the intersection of Lake Boulevard and Evening Canyon.

The North County accident and injury lawyers at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals who have been injured in all types of accidents, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and construction accident. Call 760-571-5500 for a free consultation.