San Diego DUI Collision Kills Bicyclist

Personal injury lawyer in San Diego Arthur John Jacobs, 64, was fatally injured in a San Diego car accident after his bicycle was struck by a suspected drunk driver. According to a 10News report, the fatal bicycle accident occurred the night of July 27, 2011 near the intersection of El Camino Real and Cassia Street in Carlsbad.

Witnesses told officials that the 23-year-old driver, later identified as Julianne Elyse Thomson, crashed into a curb and some bushes and sped away into an apartment parking lot. Jacobs was found lying on the roadway and pronounced dead at the scene. Police found Thomson hiding in the bushes shortly afterward. She was arrested on suspicion of DUI, vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run.

I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved Arthur John Jacobs for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two fatalities and 46 injuries involving alcohol-related crashes in Carlsbad. In San Diego County as a whole, 103 people died and 1,754 were injured as a result of DUI collisions during the same year.

Violation of Laws

If the details of this news report are accurate, it appears that the driver, Thomson, not only drove her vehicle under the influence, struck the bicyclist and fatally injured him, but she also left him lying on the roadway without care or medical attention. Despicable! I'm relieved to note that this dangerous driver was taken off our roadways.

The driver, in this case, violated a number of laws, if the official report is correct. According to California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle." A driver whose act of driving under the influence results in the death of another will likely face vehicular manslaughter charges under California Penal Code section 191.5 (a). Also, leaving the scene of a crash is illegal under California Vehicle Code 20001 (a).

Claim for Compensation

In such cases, victims' families would be well-advised to contact an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. A skilled car accident lawyer will also advise families about how their own car insurance policy might apply to an incident where the at-fault motorist is uninsured or underinsured.

California Injury Blog