Virginia Bicyclists Hit by Drunk Driver, Escape with Minor Injuries

              Early last Friday morning, two bicyclists were riding on Azalea Avenue, just outside I-95 in Henrico County, Virginia.  As they approached Sandpiper Drive, a suspected drunk driver crashed into them and knocked them to the ground.  Luckily, they only suffered minor non-life-threatening injuries.  Police are still investigating the circumstances of the accident, including any other factors that played a role or might have contributed to the crash.  Virginia is one of the few states that have contributory negligence, which means that if you are injured in an accident, but your actions contributed to that accident as well, you cannot recover anything in compensation for any injuries suffered.  Riding a bike in the middle of the night is not the safest thing to do, especially if you are not wearing any protective gear, such as reflective clothing, flashing lights, and a helmet.  It is difficult for drivers to see a bicyclist when it is dark outside, therefore, if you must ride your bike at night, you should always have a light or reflective gear so that you are visible to cars on the road.  Information regarding what the two bicyclists were wearing and whether they were obeying traffic laws on the road is unknown at this time. 

           

              Driving under the influence of alcohol almost always results in someone getting hurt or killed.  A drunk driver has no control over their vehicle when they have large quantities of alcohol in their system.  Their reaction time in avoiding accidents is much slower than under normal conditions.  The bicyclists that were hit in this accident are very lucky that they were not seriously injured or killed by this drunk driver.  There are so many options out there for people who have been drinking to use in order to get home safely without hurting anyone else. 

             

              If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident caused by the fault or negligence of a drunk driver and would like to consult an experienced Virginia personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Fredericksburg or throughout Virginia or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml

Virginia Drunk Driver Kills Pedestrian and Crashes into Another Car

           Two weeks ago, a 22 year old Fredericksburg, Virginia man was charged with DWI after he struck and killed a woman in Springfield, Virginia.  The woman was waiting for the bus when the drunk driver lost control of his car and ran her over.  After hitting the woman, the driver continued up an embankment, reentered the roadway, and crashed into another car on the other side of the road.  The driver in this other car suffered minor injuries.  The drunk driver and his two passengers also suffered minor injuries.

             

           As of right now, the drunk driver has been charged with his second DWI within 5 years and driving on a suspended license.  Additional charges may be pending for the driver depending on further police investigation.  A second DWI arrest in such a short period of time will result in more severe consequences and penalties, including a 3 year suspension of your driver’s license. 

            

           As for the victims of the accident, they deserve compensation.  The woman who was killed as a result of the driver’s negligence in choosing to drink and drive for a second time deserves compensation. This was the driver’s second DWI offense within 5 years, but who knows how many other times he drove under the influence of alcohol and did not get caught.  His actions killed somebody and injured another this time, and nothing can be done to reverse that. 

             

           If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident caused by the fault or negligence of a drunk driver and would like to consult an experienced Virginia personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Fairfax or throughout Virginia or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml

Roanoke, Virginia Man Charged with DUI After Leading Police on Low-Speed Chase

          Virginia police were alerted of a reckless driver heading north on Route 221 during the afternoon of Labor Day Monday.  The car crashed in someone’s front yard, but continued on driving.  Police tried numerous times to pull the driver over, but were unsuccessful.  Thus, a low-speedpursuit began down Route 221 to apprehend the driver, who is now facing a DUI charge, felony eluding, having an open container of alcohol, failure to obey a traffic signal, and failure to wear a seatbelt.  Police had to use spike strips in order to bring the vehicle to a stop.  With the tires punctured, the driver then lost control of the car and hit a parked vehicle.

            

          Labor Day Weekend likely resulted in numerous DUI arrests across Virginia.  The weather for the weekend was perfect, and Labor Day Weekend is a popular time for people to have cookouts and outdoor parties where alcoholic beverages are served.  The circumstances surrounding this DUI arrest are unknown, but it is certainly possible that the driver was leaving a cookout in the afternoon after drinking and thought that he was ok to drive.  Whatever the circumstances were, he made a very dangerous decision to drink and drive, putting his life and the life of others at risk.

It is important that you consult an experienced Virginia DUI attorney immediately if you have been arrested for a DUI/DWI because it is a criminal offense that carries severe penalties.  An experienced attorney can guide you through the court process and find any possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.

If you or a family member has been charged with DUI in Virginia and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on DUI or DWI please feel free to contact our office at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at our office in Manassas or one of our many other offices located throughout Virginia or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/