Wrong-Way Crash In Jacksonville Caused By Drunk Driving
It’s always a sad situation when a drunk driver causes a crash. In many cases, the drunk driver survives, killing innocent victims.
This was recently the case in Jacksonville. A man was driving in the wrong direction when he hit another vehicle head-on. The man is facing charges of DUI manslaughter.
The fatal accident happened on the morning of November 26 on I-295, near Baymeadows Road. The 42-year-old man, a foreign national from the Dominican Republic, was heading north in an SUV while traveling in a southbound lane. He then hit a van head-on.
The driver of the van, a 26-year-old man from St. Augustine, died at the accident scene. The man who caused the accident suffered serious injuries. He is currently in the hospital on an immigration hold.
The man was intoxicated at the time of the crash. In fact, his blood alcohol content (BAC) was at 0.27, which is more than three times the legal limit. The man also had no U.S. driver’s license or address. He is facing DUI manslaughter charges, with bond set at $125,000.
This drunk driving accident happened the day after Thanksgiving, which is not surprising. Alcohol-related crashes increase over the holidays, when alcohol consumption tends to increase.
The drunk driving season starts the day before Thanksgiving. Known as Blackout Wednesday, this is one of the busiest days for bars in Florida and across the country. On this day, people meet with friends and family over a pint. Thanksgiving is the holiday with the most travel, with 42 million Americans in their vehicles in the days before the holiday.
The roads continue to get more dangerous until the end of the year, thanks to more vehicles on the road, more holiday celebrations, and more drinking. In fact, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, there are close to 25,000 injuries caused by alcohol-related crashes.
However, in terms of fatalities, Memorial Day is the most dangerous holiday. In 2019, there were 168 alcohol-related fatalities on this day in the United States. Next was Labor Day (142), Christmas (140), and Thanksgiving (127).
In any case, avoid traveling on the roadways during the holidays if you can. If you must drive, opt for shorter trips and avoid driving at night, which is when drunk drivers tend to be out.
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Responsible driving involves driving with a valid driver’s license while sober. A person with no driver’s license who is traveling on the road with a BAC of three times the legal limit is bound to cause a deadly accident.
If you are facing DUI charges, you need to act quickly. Time is of the essence. For a solid defense, seek legal help from the Florida DUI defense lawyers at Meldon Law. Schedule a consultation today by filling out the online form or calling (800) 373-3000. We have three offices to serve you: Gainesville, Ocala, and Fort Lauderdale.
Resource:
news4jax.com/news/local/2021/11/29/man-accused-of-dui-manslaughter-after-st-augustine-man-dies-in-wrong-way-crash-on-i-295/
