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Police in East St. Louis are investigating a fatal car accident that may have been caused by the driver’s intoxication. The accident was a single-vehicle crash that occurred at 12:45 am on June 2nd. The driver crashed his car near the 1900 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Although the cause is still being investigated, the police chief stated that alcohol may have played a role.
According to witness reports, the driver had just come from a party and was visibly intoxicated. Shortly after leaving the party, the man lost control of his car and struck a tree. When police arrived at the scene, they pulled the man from his car and made sure he was transported to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Single-vehicle accidents are sometimes difficult to determine liability in, but in this case, the cause of the accident could be easily determined by conducting a chemical test of the man’s blood-alcohol level. If his BAC measures at or above .08 percent, then the cause of the accident would likely be ruled drunk driving. If the driver were to have survived, he may have been able to contest that it was not his intoxication that caused the accident, but rather some other factor.
Even though the cause of this case seems clear, a thorough investigation must still take place to correctly determine liability and a cause of death. When other victims are involved in drunk driving accidents, they may be able to file claims for negligence. Family members of victims who are killed by drunk drivers may also be able to file wrongful death lawsuits.
Drunk driving is not only an issue of liability in a car accident; it is also a criminal case. When the drunk driver survives this type of accident, they will face criminal, administrative, and potential civil actions. This is because drunk driving is against the penal code as well as an act of negligence that could constitute a lawsuit.
If you or someone you love was injured in a drunk driving accident, get in touch with a St. Louis car accident attorney at Fox Goldblatt & Singer PC. You may have questions concerning liability, your right to pursue a claim, and how you can pursue maximum financial compensation for your medical expenses, property damage, and even emotional pain and suffering.
Case evaluations are free, so please bring your case to a St. Louis car accident attorney from our firm so that we can walk you through the legal ramifications of it. Fox Goldblatt & Singer will be happy to assist.