Carlsbad DUI Fatality

On January 13, 2024, a 28-year-old woman named Angela Hays, from Corona, was arrested for suspected DUI involvement in a fatal three-vehicle collision on Interstate 5 in Carlsbad. The incident occurred early Saturday morning north of Palomar Airport Road. Hays, driving a gray Hyundai sedan, hit a green Jeep Grand Cherokee, causing it to overturn. This led to a subsequent collision with a white Nissan Altima.

The female passenger in the Jeep died at the scene, and the male driver died later in the hospital. Both were from Richmond, California. The Nissan’s male driver sustained major but non-life-threatening injuries. Hays, unharmed, was arrested and faces potential charges including felony DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter. The crash disrupted traffic on I-5 until about 9 a.m. as the California Highway Patrol investigated the scene.

This is yet another DUI tragedy here in North County. Victims of accidents caused by drunk drivers have substantial legal rights to seek compensation through negligence lawsuits. In these cases, the law recognizes that driving under the influence inherently breaches the duty of care owed by drivers to operate their vehicles safely. The impaired judgment and reduced motor skills of a drunk driver significantly increases the risk of causing an accident, making DUI a clear example of negligence. When a drunk driver causes an accident, the injured victims or the families of deceased victims can file a lawsuit against the driver. This legal action is grounded in the principle that the driver, by choosing to drive while intoxicated, is responsible for the consequences of that decision.

In these lawsuits, the victims can seek damages for various losses, including medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and, in tragic cases like the one described above, wrongful death. The compensation aims to cover both economic and non-economic damage suffered due to the accident. Additionally, in some cases, victims may also be eligible for punitive damages, particularly if the drunk driver’s conduct was egregiously reckless or malicious. Punitive damages serve not only as a punishment to the offender but also as a deterrent to similar conduct by others. It’s important for victims to understand their rights and consider seeking legal advice from an experience Carlsbad personal injury lawyer to navigate these complex cases effectively and to ensure that their rights are adequately represented and protected in court.