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DUI Collision in Los Angeles Proves Fatal for Woman

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Alyssa Leon, 21, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident, which police say, was caused by a repeat DUI offender. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, the fatal car accident occurred the morning of January 16, 2011 on Valley Boulevard in Lincoln Heights. Officials say Peter Barragon, 24, lost control of his 2007 Saturn Aura while making a turn, hit a curb and a tree. The vehicle rolled over and Leon, who was a passenger, sustained fatal blunt-force injuries. Barragon and two other passengers were hospitalized for minor injuries. Barragon has been arrested for suspicion of murder. Officials say he had a prior DUI arrest.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Alyssa Leon. My thoughts and prayers are with them following this tragic DUI collision.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 105 people were killed and 2,252 were injured due to DUI collisions in Los Angeles. During that same year, there were 258 fatalities and 4,832 injuries reported involving alcohol-related car accidents in Los Angeles County.

Drunk Driving Laws

Under California Vehicle Code 23152 it is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol. A driver whose act of driving under the influence results in the death of another will likely face vehicular manslaughter charges. California Penal Code Section 191.5 (a) states: “Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, in the driving of a vehicle, where the driving was in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, and the killing was either the proximate result of the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, and with gross negligence, or the proximate result of the commission of a lawful act that might produce death, in an unlawful manner, and with gross negligence.”

Liability Issues

Drunken drivers can and should be criminally prosecuted. They can also be held financially responsible for the injuries, damages and losses they cause. Where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, the family of a deceased car accident victim can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for medical and funeral expenses, loss of earnings, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages. An experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will be able to better advise victims and their families in such cases about their legal rights and options. For more information about the dangers of drunk driving, please visit the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) web site at www.madd.org.

Lost a family member in a Los Angeles County car accident? Want to know your rights? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation? Want justice? Want to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to another family?

Call your best friends in the legal industry after a fatal Los Angeles DUI car accident. Call 800-259-6373. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.

Call a Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your rights by attorneys who have been representing families of deceased accident victims since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a compassionate and understanding law firm in a comfortable environment.

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