Car accident in Pennsylvania believed to be caused by DUI

A man who pleaded guilty to aggravated assault by vehicle and DUI in November of last year has been formally sentenced, according to local legal sources. The Pennsylvania man faces up to16 months in prison for his role in a car accident that seriously injured a woman in Dec. 2012. The victim suffered broken bones and other injuries as a result of the crash.

Police reports from the time of the accident indicate the man was high on marijuana when the accident occurred. The details of the crash are unspecific, but it is known that the two vehicles struck head-on. The man responsible for the accident was uninjured, but the other driver — an unidentified woman — was trapped in her car and some time was required to extricate her.

Police performed a roadside sobriety test on the male driver when they noted signs of possible intoxication. A subsequent blood test revealed the presence of marijuana in his blood stream at the time of the accident, leading to the DUI charge. He currently faces an additional 54 months of probation in addition to his jail time. There is no word as to whether the female victim has fully recovered from her injuries.

The man responsible for this car accident has already been prosecuted for his crimes. This means additional support for a personal injury suit should the injured victim wish to pursue one. In Pennsylvania, as elsewhere in the country, personal injury suits are handled through a civil court. However, any conviction gained in criminal court may lend credence to the civil case and may provide a singularly sufficient basis for a finding of financial liability.

This blog entry was posted on behalf of [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″], and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the firm or its attorneys. The information presented in this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice.

Source: pennlive.com, Newville man sentenced for injuring woman while driving under the influence of marijuana, Steve Marroni, Feb. 18, 2014