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Man Accused in Fatal Fresno Multi-Car Accident Surrenders
July 15, 2008

Call it guilt, remorse, or just plain fear of the long arm of the law. Whatever the reasons, a 61-year-old man who was suspected of causing a massive pile-up on a Fresno freeway which impacted a total of more than 100 cars and killed two persons, turned himself in at a courthouse on Monday.

Morris Taylor is the man accused of setting off a pileup in foggy weather that ultimately affected more than 100 vehicles on the freeway, last November. After the dust and fog had settled down, there were dozens of people injured in the car accident. Vehicles were smashed against each other and total chaos reigned. Two people were killed.

After the car accident, Morris Taylor was given a blood alcohol test, and his results were found to be at least 3 times above the legal limit. Taylor at the time of the accident, however, claimed no wrongdoing, and denied that he was drunk at the time of the car accident. He claims that he drank a little to calm his nerves, but that was after the alleged drunk driving accident, not before. The San Antonio native eventually returned to Texas, while he and 8 others were charged with causing the car accident.

Taylor has now retuned to Fresno to appear before court in connection with the charges brought against him. This surrender was a complete surprise to officers at the court who weren’t expecting to see him, in the least. The man had an arrest warrant out for him, but prosecutors did not expect that he would be there to face charges.

Taylor admits he has been bitten by remorse. The news of the death of two people in the drunk driving accident he caused, has no doubt played a part in forcing him back to face up to his actions. Taylor admits to being filled with regrets when he thinks of the two innocent victims of the car accident. In fact, he regrets what happened so much, he’s actually stopped driving from the guilt.

While there is no excuse for a man who gets behind the wheel drunk with a blood alcohol level of .24, which is 3 times above the legal limit, and then causes a multi-car pile up that’s one of the worst in recent history, killing two and seriously injuring dozens of others, there is something to be said for Taylor, willingly appearing before court to face charges brought against him. He faces two felony counts of DUI, and stands to face a stiff jail sentence, if found guilty. Not only that, he has also opened himself up to the possibility of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits from victims and family members of those injured or killed in the drunk driving accident. We hope this man realizes that now that he’s turned himself in, it’s time to face the music from all directions.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

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Fresno Boy Killed in Drunk Driving Accident
July 03, 2008

A young boy is dead after a yet another drunk driving accident in Fresno early on Wednesday morning. The driver of the car which struck him has been arrested.

11-year-old Daryl Atkinson was playing with another child at B Street. As he crossed the street near B Street and San Joaquin Avenue, he was hit by a car driven by 62-year-old Charles Henry King. The boy was rushed to hospital, where he was declared brain dead.

According to police, Charles Henry King showed signs of intoxication, and he was subjected to a blood alcohol test. The results of the test showed intoxication, although the police haven't confirmed the level of alcohol consumption.

King has been arrested, and charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and DUI injury. As it turns out, King was not even in possession of a valid driver's license, and has also been charged for driving without a license.

Just yesterday, we discussed the ramifications of the Ambriz Act which makes it mandatory for a person applying for a driver's license to sign a declaration in which he states that he is aware of the dangers of drunken driving, and that he is aware that he could be held responsible for any fatalities that occur if he causes a drunk driving accident. Too bad King won't be eligible to be tried for second-degree murder under the act. This drunk driving menace is getting completely out of hand. Too many people are being killed or maimed, as we struggle to deal with the problem to no avail.

King, for instance, is a 62-year-old adult who knows fully well the dangers of driving while intoxicated. What was his excuse for getting behind the wheel of his car drunk, we wonder. You can't blame it on a lack of awareness or youthful recklessness. Barely a day passes when there isn't a drunk driving accident taking place in the state, and usually with fatalities involved.

Thankfully, negligent drivers like King will have no excuse once we really begin to see the act take effect. Drunk driving won't remain a folly to be treated lightly with a light sentence and a slap on the wrist. If concern for your own safety and that of others doesn't motivate a driver to remain sober, then maybe the words "second degree murder charges" will.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

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California's Ambriz Act Cautions Drunk Driving Accident Offenders
July 02, 2008

In death, Orange Councilman Steve Ambriz will forever have his name linked to a groundbreaking bill that will no doubt be a turning point in the way we view and treat drunk driving accidents. The Ambriz Act has been signed by Governor Schwarzenegger, and has officially come into force in the state of California. What it does is require all drivers who go to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a new license, or renew their old one, to sign a document that says that they are completely aware that they could be held liable for any implications arising out of driving while intoxicated.

Ambriz himself became a victim of a drunk driving accident in May 2006. The car in which he was traveling was hit by another vehicle, driven by Sara Lynn Ward. Ambriz suffered severe injuries, and died soon after the drunk driving accident. After the car accident, it was found that Sara was high on methamphetamines at the time. She received a ten-year sentence in prison.

Ambriz's close friend, Todd Spitzer, R-Orange, played a pivotal role in formulating the act, which requires people applying for a license to be made fully aware of the dangers of driving while drinking, and making sure that they accept full responsibility for any consequences of their behavior. Persons will have to sign a declaration saying they are aware that they could be charged with second-degree murder if they cause a drunken driving accident and any fatalities result. They will be charged with behaving maliciously, instead of merely recklessly, as was the case earlier. This new treatment of a drunken driving offence also comes with an enhanced prison sentence - offenders could be looking at up to 15 years in prison.

The second-degree murder charge should prove a significant deterrent to drunken driving accidents. Now, careless, foolish people who get behind the wheel high as a kite won't have the "first time offender" shield to hide behind when they kill someone as a result of their lunacy.

There are those who will moan the comparison of a fatality causing drunken driving accident to second-degree murder. Isn't murder premeditated, they will whine, and how will the threat of murder charges really help solve the problem. To that we have to say that there's nothing "accidental" about getting drunk and then, knowing fully well that you could cause serious injury or harm to others, go right ahead and drive yourself on the street anyway, putting dozens of lives in danger. You might not have planned to take someone out, but if you are fully aware of the repercussions of what you do, and do it anyway, then you are as guilty as someone who planned to kill. It sounds harsh, but arrogance of the kind that we see in drunk driving accidents calls for harsh measures.

We've seen few results from the kind of slap on the wrist we do when we are faced with yet another DUI induced carnage. Victims rarely get justice. Ambriz was barely 35, and had a bright future ahead of him when he died. Ward, on the other hand, who remained unrepentant and entered a not guilty plea in court, will be eligible for parole in four years time. That makes it a total of barely 5 years that this woman will serve. 5 years for taking a man's life. If anything, the Act was too long in coming. At least now, DUI offenders won't be able to face an open court, and brazenly and fearlessly enter a not guilty plea -a blood alcohol test should be all the guilt evidence you need.

Steve Ambriz would definitely have approved.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

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Man Sentenced to 43 Years in Fatal Drunk Driving Accident
June 27, 2008

The man responsible for causing a horrific drunk driving accident in Ohio, which killed five members of the same family, has been sentenced to 43 years in prison. Michael Gagnon can expect to be eligible for release when he reaches his mid 60s. There really couldn't have been any other outcome for a man so intoxicated he took the wrong turn on a highway, and then drove on for at least four miles without realizing was going the wrong way.

On December 30, 2007, the Griffin family of Parkville - Bethany, her three children Vadie, Lacie and Haley, ages 2 months, 7 and 9 years respectively, Bethany's husband David, and his daughter 10-year-old Jordan were returning from a family Christmas celebration in Michigan. They were in a mini van, their car full of Christmas gifts. Meanwhile, Gagnon was tanking up at a bar. He got into a car, and proceeded to drive home. In his intoxicated state, he took the wrong turn, and found himself facing incoming traffic. He drove this way for close to four miles, narrowly missing a number of other vehicles before the Griffin van appeared on the horizon.

The collision, when it came, was fierce. A side of the van was ripped out, and a number of passengers in the van toppled out. Presents and toys were strewn all across the highway. Only David, his son Sydney, and Bethany's son, Beau, survived the accident. The rest were killed instantly. According to toxicology tests after the drunk driving accident, Gagnon's blood alcohol level was reportedly three times the allowed limit. His speech was slurred, and he reeked of alcohol. Witnesses at the scene said he kept murmuring that he was "wasted" in a delirious haze.

The defense tried to paint Gagnon as a law abiding conscientious citizen, who was taking classes at his local community college, and studying to be an architect. It obviously didn't work. The judge noted as much during the trial, calling Gagnon a man with a "drinking problem" he wasn't even aware of. You only have to look at the fact that the man drove 4 miles in the wrong way before he was stopped by a car accident.

Considering the gravity of the destruction caused by Gagnon's behavior, there was really no other verdict in this drunk driving accident case. In fact, there should be more such stringent sentences when fatalities in car accidents are caused by a person's utter negligence. All it would have taken was a little common sense for Gangon to have called for a cab, or asked for a home. When he choose to get behind the wheel, aware that he was "wasted" in his own words, he agreed to take responsibility for the consequences, and now he's facing them.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

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Bakersfield Drunk Driving Accident Kills Two
June 17, 2008

A drunk driving accident south of Bakersfield, California has killed two people, and at least two others are reported to be injured. The driver now faces felony drunk driving charges. The accident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning, at about 2:30 am.

The driver, 21-year-old Michael Montgomery, missed a curve off southbound Highway 99, and then hit a sign, before finally coming to a stop against a tree. His passengers were Cicero "Tre" Goddard, a 29-year-old father of two, and two 19-year-old women, Rianna Zamarripa and Jamenrique Walker. Cicero, who was sitting in the front seat, was pinned inside the car and died at the scene of the car accident. Michael was thrown out of the car, suffered severe injuries and is being treated at Kerns Medical Center, where he has been listed as being in critical condition. Rianna, a Bakersfield resident, also was pinned in the back seat of the car and died at the scene. Walker was also injured in the accident.

The car, a 2005 Chrysler, belonged to Montgomery's fiancée. Friends of the two men say that Michael and Cicero had been friends for a number of years.

The California Highway Patrol say that they suspect that Michael had been speeding in the moments before the car accident, and that he missed a curve at the Panama Lane off ramp. He is being charged with felony drunk driving, CHP officers say.

For Cicero's family the accident is especially tragic. He leaves behind two kids, who had just celebrated Father's Day the day before with him. One son, 4-year-old Eternal Goddard, went missing after the car accident. He was with Cicero on Sunday, and then, the family has lost all contact with him after Cicero was declared dead. Eternal was later found with friends of his father, safe and sound.

A drunk driving accident is always a needless tragedy. There is no absolutely no reason for a person to get behind a wheel after drinking, and when accidents do occur, which is often, the toll of destruction and death is heavy. There was no excuse for Michael Montgomery to be behind the wheel if he wasn't in a position to drive. There are too many things at risk when you're driving on the street, and you cant afford to have anything less than 100 percent of your faculties intact. That doesn't happen when you've drunk more than just enough to give you a warm buzz.

Now, there are three kids suddenly fatherless through no fault of their own. The sudden loss of the head of the family means that the Goddards, who are putting up a brave face through the tragedy, will have to look for ways to make sense of their lives. Tellingly enough, when Michael's grandmother, Ruth, was informed of the accident, she told Eyewitness News that Michael was a great kid who "took to the streets early." If we take this to mean that this wasn't the first brush with speed and alcohol that young Mikey had experimented with, we can also assume that his fiancée who lent him her car was probably aware of his reckless nature. This may make her liable to some extent for compensation to the Goddards and to Rianna's family.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

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EMT Student Killed in Drunk Driving Accident in Los Angeles County
May 23, 2008

Boris Ivshin's family had just 90 minutes to grieve their dead son. He died in a drunk driving accident two days before Passover, a period that prohibits mourning. Even in their interrupted bereavement, this family has set up a memorial fund in their son's name that will go towards the spiritual development of youth in the city.

Boris was a student at the Emergency Medical Technician program at Citrus College. On April 18, Boris was returning home, when the Ford Taurus he was driving collided with a center divider on the 210 freeway. Just then, a Jeep Grand Cherokee struck the front of the Ford Taurus. Boris died at the scene of the drunk driving accident.

The driver of the Cherokee, Jacqueline Cruz, a Fontana resident, was arrested at the scene of the accident. She was first taken to hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the accident, and a blood alcohol test was conducted. She was then charged with drunk driving, felony DUI involving injury and vehicular manslaughter.

In light of the special nature of the timing of the drunk driving accident, which just a couple of days before Passover began, Boris's body was quickly released by the coroner to be buried. His family held a memorial for him on May 18. The family requested that donations to the Boris Ivshin Memorial Fund be made instead of flowers, to commemorate the memory of Boris, a devout Jew.

Boris, his family remembers said, was looking forward to leaving the nest. He was staying with his parents, but had already begun accumulating things that he would need for his new apartment. He is survived by his family - his parents and an older brother.

While his parents try hard to remember the good times and cherish his memory, the woman who was responsible for his drunk driving accident is out on bail. Jacqueline Cruz has posted bail and will be arraigned on June 24 at the Citrus Municipal Court House.

Boris had a bright future ahead of him. He was well on his way to becoming an excellent paramedic, his instructors at the program say. He had also joined a pre med program. When young lives are cut short, you are flooded with "What if?" kind of questions. What if he had lived and saved lives? Healed bodies? Discovered a cure for cancer? An 18-year-old is so full of possibilities.

Boris's family will have many of these unanswered questions to live with. We hope that they consider the possibility of a wrongful death lawsuit that will help them with their fund.

If you have lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury attorney. Contact a lawyer at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Napa Man Dead in Drunk Driving Accident
May 20, 2008

A Napa resident is expectedto be arraigned today in connection with the drunk driving accident that killed a passenger in his car. 26-year-old Diango Ramirez Reyes, it was revealed after the crash, was not only drunk while he was driving, but was also driving without a valid driver license.

On Sunday at 11:30 pm, Reyes was driving his 1992 Saturn eastbound on Highway 128 east of Scott Road in rural Sonoma County. The vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a tree. Reyes suffered only minor injuries. His passenger, 53-year-old Javier Arias Hernandez, died at the scene of the drunk driving accident.

Reyes was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injures after the drunk driving accident. He had blood alcohol tests performed, and his blood alcohol limit was reported to be greater than 0.08 percent. He was also found to be driving without a valid license. Reyes doesn't seem to take traffic rules seriously enough.

He has been arrested on charges of felony DUI, vehicular manslaughter, driving with a blood alcohol limit greater than 0.08 percent and driving without a valid driver's license.

Reyes, who is also a Napa resident, has been booked into the Sonoma County jail, and will be arraigned today.

Time and again, drunk driving accidents like these makes us realize the consequences of getting behind the wheel drunk. In an intoxicated state, it takes only a second to lose sight of the road. Drivers who drink and drive have been proven to have impaired reasoning and judgment behind the wheel, poor reflexes and impaired motor coordination. And yet, we see drunk driving accidents like this all too often because people still get behind the wheel.

Drunk driving accidents remain a major traffic law and order problem in California. Laws upon laws have been passed to change this destructive pattern, but it's clear the impact they are having is very low. Laws are just not enough to force drivers to learn a lesson after an accident. Repeat offenders are responsible for a majority of drunken driving accidents. In the past 15 years in fact, there have been more drunk driving repeat offenders than ever before. This is a clear sign that laws are simply not acting as the deterrent they should be posing to drunk drivers.

Drunk drivers don't put only their own safety, but also the safety of others in their car and other cars on the road at risk. Such perverse negligence of the safety of others is criminal.

If you or a loved one have been the victim of a drunk driver, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Updates on Two Orange County, California Drunk Driving Accident Cases
May 08, 2008

Two local DUI cases in the spotlight this week have brought home how important getting the "don't drink and drive" message out to young people in Orange County really is. In the first, the driver accused of driving his car that struck and killed a Huntington Beach teenager has had felony charges filed against him. In the other, a woman who caused the death of her best friend driving while intoxicated in a drunk driving accident has pleaded guilty to felony vehicular manslaughter.

Danny Oates' case is particularly poignant. When the 14-year-old teenager headed back to school in the fall of last year, he was unprepared for the tragedy that was to come. On his bicycle and on the way to school, Danny was struck by a 20-year-old driver. At the time, there was nothing to point that the accident had been anything more than just that - an unfortunate accident. What a difference a few months make. It later came out that Jeffery Woods was not just on drugs at the time of the drunk driving accident, but he was actually in the process of closing a drug deal.

Now, Jeffrey Woods has been charged with felony vehicular manslaughter and driving while under the influence. Any element of sympathy that the man had after he ended up causing the accident has now deservedly dissipated. You don't cause a crash that's not only strong enough to send a boy flying 100 feet, but which also leaves the front of your car smashed beyond recognition by driving sober, or by driving at the speed limit. Jeffrey has not only been utterly negligent, but even criminal in his actions. This was a man who was actually engaged in a criminal act when he caused the death of young boy. Lets hope that he ends up in a place where there is no chance to kill others while behind the wheel.

The other case that's seen developments in the last couple of days has to do with Marian Teri Kahale, the 19-year-old woman who was driving in the drunk driving accident that killed her best friend, Natasha Dannov. The accident occurred on November 18 last year, a few hours after Natasha's birthday. The two girls had celebrated Natasha's birthday at a party, where Kahale admitted she had taken the drug ecstasy. After that, she left for another party in Mission Viejo, where she consumed vodka. They then set off for home in an SUV with Kahale at the wheel. On the way, the car veered off the freeway and struck a guardrail, ejecting Natasha who was sleeping in the passenger seat without a seatbelt on. She died instantly in the drunk driving accident. Now Marion Kahale has pleaded guilty to charges of vehicular manslaughter in the drunk driving accident.

Natasha's parents meanwhile, have other questions they want answered about the drunk driving accident that killed their daughter. Where, for instance, did the girls who were underage at the time of the drunk driving accident, get their hands on ecstasy and vodka? They have filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the case of their daughter's death against Kahale. This is one drunk driving accident where you can't even cheer when the bad guy gets punished - Marion has effectively ruined her life too, and faces a minimum of four years in prison.

As we said at the beginning, if there's one thing to take home from these two cases, it's how drunk driving accidents have become more common among the young. Both accused are aged 20 or below, which makes it all the more important to ram the "don't drink and drive" message home harder than before.

If you have lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Kenwood Woman Charged in Drunk Driving Accident
April 25, 2008

A Kenwood woman will go to trial for gross vehicular manslaughter after a judge ruled that there was enough evidence against her in a drunk driving accident that killed a Santa Rosa, California resident. The woman, Chelsea Tedeschi, was under the influence at the time of the crash, which occurred on July 17.

The drunk driving accident occurred a mile east of Oakmont, California on Highway 12. The victim, Jane Beverly Todd, was riding in a car being driven by her 16-year-old son Doug. According to his testimony, the two of them were returning to Santa Rosa when an incoming car veered into his lane. He tried to swerve into the eastbound lane to avoid her, but the cars collided anyway. Tedeschi's car ended up 100 feet away from the point of impact.

Jane Beverly Todd died at the scene of the drunk driving accident. Tedeschi was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment of her injuries, and was given a blood alcohol test. The readings were 0.19 percent, 0.20 percent and 0.22 percent.

Tedeschi admitted to officers that she had had two glasses of Chardonnay over dinner with her mom, and had two vodka shots after that in her apartment, before the drunk driving accident. She had also taken an anti-depressant pill. She also admitted that she shouldn't have been driving.

Well, it's a little late for that moment of truth. This hindsight clarity doesn't bring back Jane Beverly Todd, and it doesn't help her family deal with her loss.

Tadeschi's attorneys have come up with a drunk driving defense that's sure to tug at the heartstrings. Apparently, Tedeschi was recovering from an abusive relationship, and had been on anti-depressants at the time of the drunk driving accident. Surely the doctor who prescribed her anti-depressants did not advise her to take the pill, mix it up with some vodka and a little Chardonnay and go right ahead and drive off at night.

There's a little thing called accountability for your actions that this young woman has obviously not heard of. When she gets into a car dizzy from all the pills and alcohol in her, she takes responsibility for any drunk driving accidents that may happen on the road. People have relationship problems. They break up. They get depressed. If we begin to use that as an excuse for drunk driving accidents, we insult the memory of those who died needlessly as a result of their behavior. Why did Jane Todd have to pay for any personal problems Tedeschi had? There are so many things she will never be able to do now - watch her son graduate from college, weep at his wedding, see her grandkids. And all because a woman who should have known better chose to take no responsibility for her actions.

As expected, Tadeschi has pleaded not guilty charges related to the drunk driving accident. The Todds, however, have moved ahead with a wrongful death lawsuit against Tadeschi. That case will come up in September.

If you have been the victim in a drunk driving accident, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Family gets a $3 Million Hospital Bill after DUI Accident
April 04, 2008

If there ever was a case in favor making the alcohol industry liable in some way for the injuries caused when irresponsible drivers choose to drive drunk, the Hubers would be a perfect example. A comfortably middle class Tucson, Arizona family has exhausted their savings, and their household income is half of what it used to be thanks to a drunk driver. Their son, Chris, still struggles with an amputated leg, so his father, Vernon, had to quit his job to take care of him.

And all because of a drunken driver, who has managed to change life for the worse for this family.

On April 1^st last year, 21-year-old Chris was walking with his brother Chad near Chad's apartment complex, when a car driven by a drunken driver came racing down the road and mowed him down. Without warning, the driver drove straight into Chris. He was thrown into the windshield, over the top of the vehicle and then snagged on the rear of the still moving car. The driver raced on ahead in his drunken daze, not even realizing he had hit anyone. When Chad turned around to look for Chris, his brother was hanging off a speeding car. Luckly, someone managed to flag the car down. By the time Chris touched the ground, he had broken both his legs and had a pelvic fracture. His legs were hanging by shreds of skin, and he had survived an almost fatal fracture to his spine. He was rushed to the hospital where his mother, Linda, says he had at least 20 surgeries in the first few weeks. A staph infection in his right leg meant one of the worst words a 21-year-old could possibly hear - amputation. If left as it was, the infection threatened to spread to his intestines and stomach. The bill for the first year after his crash? $3 million.

The driver of the car that hit Chris was given 10 days in lock up. He didn't have liability insurance. Chris had no health insurance. The family was on their own for the medical bills, and they were piling up. In the midst of this, Linda and Vernon have managed to get Chris slowly back to some semblance of his life. There is plenty of rehabilitation to go through, but at least he's alive.

The driver of the car is currently cooperating in a lawsuit against the bar where he had been drinking before he mowed Chris down. He was so drunk, apparently, that the bartender and waiters had to shake him awake. They filled him with enough alcohol for him to nearly pass out unconscious, and then sent him off on his way. Where was their sense of responsibility? How difficult would it have been to realize that a man so drunk he was almost passed out on the counter was going to be a grave danger to himself and to others on the road?

It's too late for Chris to have his heath back, but for the sake of other drivers on the road, let's hope the bar gets cleaned out and shut down.

If you have been injured by a drunk driver, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Miami Archdiocese to pay $14 Million to Boy with Brain Injuries
April 02, 2008

All it would have taken for the authorities at Gabriel Maynoldi's school was to let parents know there was an underage drinking party planned at the home of one of his classmates. The school might not have had permission to interfere in a private party in a private home, but it would have been totally within its bounds to inform parents of teenagers that their kidswere about to embark on a drink fest that might not end well.

Kids and alcohol make a potent combination. Combine that with a car and you have all the ingredients for a disaster. When the party at the home of Enrique and Yasmin Valcarcel wound down, friends Gabriel and Michael Sanchez-Agramonte set off for home in their white Acura. They were traveling at approximately 80 miles an hour when the car slammed into a tree. The impact cracked the car in half. Michael died instantly. Gabriel suffered severe brain injuries, and remains paralyzed and confined to a wheel chair. Michael had a blood alcohol level of .22 and Gabriel's alcohol level was .096. The legal allowed limit is .08. It was 2001, and the boys were 17 years old.

Gabriel's parents sued the Archdiocese of Miami for negligence, and on Friday a court ruled in their favor, finding the Archdioceses liable for $14 million. In their lawsuit, the parents claimed that the boy's school, Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School, was partially negligent in the accident. On the day of the fateful party, the school authorities, including Principal Richard Fenchak, were fully aware that an underage drinking party was being planned at the home of the Valcarcels. Invitations for the party had been circulating in the school, and it was clearly obvious to anyone who saw them that copious amounts of alcohol were going to flow. The invite featured a picture of Crown Royal Whiskey, and an invitation that read "Come end the school year the right way."

Not only was principal Fenchak aware of the party, but he actually made joking references to it on the public address system at school that day. He even dropped by the party venue where he saw students of his own school dropping unconscious from drinking the alcohol, and he didn't see fit to step in and take an authoritative role. One assumes he wanted to be a jolly and happy-go-lucky principal who was a friend to all his students - a cool principal, in short.

Except that Gabriel Maynoldi's condition is far from being cool. He has no use of his arms and legs, and his muscles have to be painfully stretched to prevent contraction. This is a boy who can never have a normal life.

When the Maynoldis admitted their son into this private school, they signed a document that stated that the school would inform them of any illegal activities that were being planned on campus. The last time we checked drinking before the age of 21 was illegal in this country. The Maynoldis deserved to know that their child was going to be indulging in dangerous activities. Placing the blame on the parents avoids the crux of the matter - that the school was supposed to inform the parents of any untoward events being planned, and it didn't. It shirked its responsibility, with tragic consequences for two young men.

If you have been injured in a drunk driving related accident, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury attorney. Contact a lawyer at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Four-Year-Old Fresno Boy Killed in Easter Sunday Accident
March 25, 2008

It was supposed to be an exciting Easter egg hunt for 4-year-old Elias Anthony Pico. He was on his way to a relative's house with his father, where the kids were to take part in an Easter egg hunt. By all accounts, his father Anthony Pico did everything he could to make sure his child was safe in the back seat. Elias was in a car seat in the middle rear seat, and was safely restrained.

But he hadn't reckoned with the sort of lunatic recklessness that comes when a driver has seen fit to step behind the wheel, after drinking more than is appropriate. The Pico family's Nissan Altima was traveling west on American Avenue and slowed down to turn into the driveway of the house where his cousin Victoria Cerpa was getting things ready for the Easter egg hunt. Elias never got to participate in the hunt. A 2002 Toyota Tacoma, driven by Stephen Watson and traveling at 60 miles per hour, slammed into the Altima from the rear. The impact of the crash caused the Altima to spin around and hit a concrete wall. Little Elias was killed instantly. He was his parent's only child.

The Tacoma continued on ahead for a while before coming to a stop near a chain link fence. Watson tried to make a run for it, but was chased by Anthony's relatives, who by this time had all come out of the house. He was restrained until the police were called to the scene.

The other passengers in the car, including a man, a woman and a 6-year-old child sustained minor injuries. Anthony Pico himself received minor injuries.

The car the family was driving was a rental, as their own car was at the service station. The Altima was much smaller than their car, and police at the scene said the injuries might not have been so tragic if it had been a bigger car.

Watson has been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, gross vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run. This wasn't a teenage boy out in his dad's car with his friends, kicking up a storm. This was an adult 45-year-old man who can't possible argue that he wasn't aware of the potential for danger when he decided to drive drunk. In fact, we should probably not even call this an "accident."

We need to stop dealing with drunken driving like it's a frat boy-type mistake. Punishments for drunken driving in the country are nowhere close to where they should be. Many times offenders get away with a slap on the wrist and nothing more. Is it any wonder then that so many drunken driving cases are by repeat offenders?

It's beyond senseless that a family has to lose their only child to the recklessness of another, and that too, on Easter. In cases like this, making the driver pay financial compensation that could cripple him and making him serve jail time is what could send a strong message to other drivers.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed by a drunk driver, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Man Charged in Fatal Crash
March 19, 2008

It was an accident that bought to mind the deaths of the Coble children last year, when their car was rear-ended by a trailer. Early in February this year, three young children and their grandmother were killed in Arkansas in a similar accident that eliminated an entire generation of a family in a horrible manner.

The crash occurred on February 6 at 2:40 am. The Crapps' family was returning from a vacation in Pensacola, Florida. The three children, 9-year-old Jada, 7-year-old Hunter and 3-year-old Kaden were with their grandmother Althea Crapps, who was driving. The children's mother, her aunt and her boyfriend followed in their car. A red pickup driven by Steven William, a 28-year-old man from Bryant, was heading in the wrong direction. Apparently, troopers already had been made aware that a red pickup truck was going the wrong way in the northbound lane with its headlights off.

By the time troopers could reach the spot where the pickup was last sighted going the wrong way, he had already crashed into the Crapps' car.

All four occupants of the car died instantly. According to the passengers in the car that was traveling behind them, they didn't even see the red pickup before it collided into the vehicle.

On Tuesday, Steven Williams was charged with 4 counts of homicide. Since the crash he has been detained at the county detention center pending a cash bail amount of $200,000. He had been briefly taken to the Jefferson Regional Medical Center for treatment of injuries sustained during the crash.

Williams was so drunk at the time of the crash he could barely speak. According to police officers, who first arrived at the crash scene, he was unsteady on his feet, reeked of alcohol and had a blank and vacant stare. He was sweating profusely, and was wearing Mardi Gras beads. He apparently told investigators that he had just attended a party in Little Rock. In short, this was not a man who was slightly above the alcohol limit. He was too drunk to stand on his feet, and had no business being anywhere behind the wheel. This wasn't a teenager who made a youthful mistake. This was a grown adult who showed such irresponsibility it's hard to see how he can be found anything but guilty.

We hope the story doesn't end here. An entire generation of a family was wiped out because Williams was too careless to ask somebody for a ride home, or too cheap to fork out the money to hire a cab. In his alcohol induced stupor, he endangered countless other vehicles on the road by driving the wrong way before finally causing the ultimate damage to a family. The children's mother will find it hard to think beyond the fact that she lost all her children in one shot, but we hope she realizes that there are avenues to be explored to make Williams pay in a manner that will really hurt. It won't heal her suffering, but it will ensure that a homicidal maniac will be too financially crippled to get back to a normal life.

If you have been injured, or a loved one has been killed in an accident caused by a drunk driver, you need an experienced California personal injury attorney to defend your rights. Contact a lawyer at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Restaurants and Driver Settle for $410,000 in DUI Case
January 29, 2008

It's difficult to say who's most at fault in a drunken driving accident - the one who gets behind the wheel, fully aware he is a danger to other people, or the establishment that plies a man with enough alcohol to be a danger to other people.

Evidently, the relatives of 22-year-old Evan Zarate, who was killed in a DUI collision, didn't need any convincing about where the fault lay and who should pay. They have managed to settle for a sum of $410,000 with the drunken driver, the restaurant where he was served the alcohol that caused the crash and the employees who failed to detect that the driver was too drunk to be served more alcohol.

The case relates to the accident that occurred on August 24, 2005 in Tucson, Arizona, in which Julie Lagergren, driving under the influence, crashed her Volvo station wagon into the Kia of the victim, Evan Zarate. The Kia was being driven by Monica Miranda, the mother of two of Zarate's kids. The crash left Monica with serious injuries including a punctured lung. Zarate never regained consciousness after the crash. He died a week later in the hospital.

His family lost no time filing lawsuits against Lagergren, Elle, a Wine County Restaurant, Cuvee World Bistro and Walgreens. The lawsuit alleges that the restaurant where Julia Lagergren was served alcohol was at fault for serving intoxicants to a person who was already drunk. Walgreens employees should also have detected that Julie was intoxicated, the lawsuit alleged, but they went ahead and sold her liquor anyway.

According to Ele's attorneys, the bartender who served Lagergren the drinks was trained to detect any obvious signs of intoxication, and did not detect any such sign of drunkenness on the woman.

Obviously the bartender and other employees were not as trained at detecting people who are intoxicated as they fancy themselves. A woman who was at least 3 times over the DUI limit levels of intoxication was allowed to drink more as she passed through the bar on her way out on the road and into Zarate's car.

Lagergren herself was sentenced in December 2006 to 3 years in prison for negligent homicide and five years of probation for aggravated assault. This settlement now places stiff and fair financial burden on her other accomplices in this tragedy.

If you have been injured or a loved on has been killed in a drunk driving accident, contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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"Pulp Fiction" Co-Writer Arrested for Drunk Driving
January 14, 2008

Academy Award-winning writer Roger Avary was arrested after causing an accident while driving under the influence. The accident killed a passenger in Avary's car, and severely injured his wife.

The accident occurred outside the Ojai Lumber Company at 12:54 am, according to the Los Angeles Times. Avary and his wife are residents of Ojai, a small artist's community in Ventura County, California.

Few details of the accident are available, but the LA Times reported that Avary's wife, Gretchen, was ejected from the back seat, and taken to a hospital with severe injuries. The man in the passenger seat, an Italian citizen named Andreas Zini, had to be extricated from the vehicle, and was taken to Ventura County Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.

Avary was arrested in charges of felony driving under the influence and manslaughter, and was booked into Ventura County jail before he posted a bail amount of $50,000.

It is such a waste of talent. An award-winning writing flushing his life away over one incredibly bad decision, a decision which is made all too frequently, to drink and then drive. Not only does Avary potentially have to serve jail time, but he also has to live forever with the guilt that he killed one person and seriously hurt his wife. We can only hope that this high-profile incident serves as a lesson to other drivers out there, but since day-in and day-out we always hear new stories of drunk drivers killing and being killed, no lesson seems to have stuck yet.

If you or a loved-one has been severely hurt, injured, or even killed by a drunk driver, you need an experienced California personal injury attorney. Contact a lawyer at The Reeves Law Group immediately for a free consultation.

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DUI Driver Charged in Fatal Accident
January 08, 2008

As the first member of her family to attend college, 19-year-old Sylvia Nunez had a bright future that belied her humble beginnings. An assistant manager at a Burger King, Sylvia had saved her earnings to pay for college, and was due to transfer to a university this year.

All those plans came to an end on New Year's Eve in Elk Grove, California, when a drunken driver in a Toyota pickup broadsided her family's sports utility vehicle. Sylvia, a rear-seat passenger, was ejected from her seat and suffered fatal injures. Her younger siblings aged, 17, 15 and 5 are still hospitalized.

The driver of the pick up, 22-year-old Ryan Williamson, fled from the scene, and was later picked up by police and arrested on charges of suspected homicide, hit and run, and driving under the influence. He was also charged with driving without a license after a previous DUI offense, and failing to stop at a stop sign.

Williamson's neighbors say they have long been aware of his fondness for speeding on neighborhood streets.

The state of California recently enforced a new law that requires persons applying for a driver's license to sign a declaration saying they are aware they could have murder charges brought against them if they cause fatalities while driving in an intoxicated state.

Unfortunately, the law comes too late for people like Sylvia Nunez.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed in a drunk driver related car crash, contact a California personal injury lawyer at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Pregnant Woman Loses Baby In DUI Accident
January 04, 2008

20-year-old Adrienne Dazo had a lot to look forward to. She had just celebrated her 20th birthday with her friends, and was in great health. She was also expecting her first child, and was in her fifth month of pregnancy. Whatever dreams Dazo might have had for her child were dashed Sunday morning when a drunk driver slammed into her car. Adrienne lost her unborn child, and remains in critical condition at a hospital.

It was initially believed that the driver Brandon Parker was driving under the influence. Now police say he was not only drunk, but was also driving with a suspended license. Thanks to the impaired judgment and slow reaction time that are always associated with consuming alcohol, Parker ran a red light and smashed his car into Dazo at the intersection of Donovan Road and Carlotti Drive in Santa Maria, California. Parker will be bought before court on Friday.

Being held liable for the damages that you cause when you drive in an intoxicated state can do much to reduce the numbers of DUI accidents that are taking place with such frequency. The state of California does conduct DUI awareness programs regularly, but people are still either slipping through the cracks or couldn't be bothered to practice what they learn.

In any case, it is definitely not because people don't understand the dangers of drinking while driving, an argument that many attorneys have used to get their intoxicated clients out of trouble.

If you or a loved-one has been the victim of a drunk driver, contact an experienced California personal injury attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Fatal DUI Accident has San Bernardino Police Worried for Holiday Safety
December 21, 2007

For law enforcement officers all around the country, one of the toughest times of the year begins in a day or two, as party season kicks off, and already signs are that this year isn't going to be a whole lot different from others as far as irresponsible and drunken driving is concerned.

On Wednesday, 22-year-old Jose Ricki Flores, driving in an intoxicated state, lost control of his 1991 Nisan Sentra on Highway 18. The car spun around, and skidded backwards crashing into a 2006 Cadillac Escalade. All three passengers in Flores' car were killed. Two were brothers, while the third was their cousin. The oldest of the three dead boys was 25, the youngest 17.

Authorities are still awaiting tests on Flores, but he is expected to be arrested for drunk driving and gross vehicular manslaughter.

The holiday season hasn't begun officially yet, and accidents like these are worrying local police who have been mounting strong efforts to educate people about the dangers of drunk driving. San Bernardino, California had the distinction of ranking fourth in the state as far as drunk driving related accidents go last year - a total of 12,343 arrests.

Drunk driving seems to be a stubborn problem. In spite of all efforts by police and regular DUI programs, close to 8 in 10 drunk drivers are repeat offenders. This means that every time a drunk driver is let off with nothing more than a slap on the wrist when he's caught driving in an intoxicated state, he gets closer to causing real damage to property and life the next time he gets behind the wheel drunk.

Consequences are often tragic and mind numbingly senseless as in the case of Flores. Not only does he face a possible jail sentence, he will live the rest of his life knowing he was responsible for the deaths of 3 of his closest friends. It's a lesson that San Bernardino officials want to drill into young minds this holiday season.

If you've been injured in an accident that occurred as a result of drunk driving, call the experienced California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Wrong Way Motorist Arrested for DUI in Orange, California Crash
November 30, 2007

A 19-year-old Glendale California woman who caused a serious accident by driving the wrong way on a freeway has been arrested for DUI.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the woman, who hasn't been identified, was driving the wrong way on the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway around 1:21 am on Friday. California Highway Patrol was notified that a driver was driving the wrong way on the busy stretch. Just minutes after, the woman's car, a Nissan Altima collided with a Toyota pickup with a man and woman, students of University of California, Riverside inside it.

The Altima was severely damaged. The suspect was seriously injured and had to be rushed to hospital. The occupants of the pickup suffered injuries too.

The suspect has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Reckless driving is a major cause of road accidents in the country. A person who drives without regard for the rules of the road not only puts his own life in danger but also the lives and safety of other drivers on the road. The California personal injury lawyers at The Reeves Law Group have substantial expertise in handling accident cases arising out of negligence or carelessness of the other party and may be able to help you obtain a settlement.

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California Highway Patrol Gears up for Holiday Accidents
November 16, 2007

Every year, the California Highway Patrol declares a four-day enforcement period beginning the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in an effort to stem the tide of holiday related accidents that are expected over the weekend. Last year the enforcement period saw nearly 1670 arrests for drunken driving. Almost a full week ahead of the holidays, and it doesn't look like things are going to be a whole lot different this year.

There has already been a spate of drunken driving related accidents, although none of them have resulted in serious injuries.

45-year-old Michael Storey was found hiding behind a bush after he managed to set off a 3 car collision caused, California Highway Patrol officials say, by driving under the influence. Five people suffered injuries in the multi-car collision including a 67-year-old woman and a teenager. A Placerville resident who almost caused an accident north of Plymouth by veering his car into the wrong lane was arrested for drunk driving. More DUI related accidents were reported from the San Andreas area where a 19-year-old driver from Valley Springs was arrested for DUI after he managed to slam his car into a bunch of trees. Both the driver and the passenger were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

And the maximum enforcement period hasn't even begun officially yet!

The California Highway Patrol has also cautioned holiday travelers about possibly nasty weather conditions that might increase the likelihood of accidents. The maximum enforcement period will begin on November 21st and run through November 26th.

Drunken driving is one of the biggest causes of road accidents in the country. If you've been injured in an accident where the other person was driving under the influence, you need expert legal guidance to claim compensation. Contact the California personal injury lawyers at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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