Drunk Driver Causes Four-Vehicle Crash, Could Face Criminal and Negligence Charges
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According to police, the driver who smashed into the back of 2005 Toyota Solara on Interstate 405 in Bothell, causing a four-vehicle accident, had empty liquor bottles and "large amounts" of beer inside of his truck. The driver also admitted to police at the scene that he had been drinking alcohol.
Driving a 1997 Dodge pickup, the intoxicated man failure to slow with the flow of traffic and smashed into the back of the Toyota Solara with tremendous speed.
"It hit so hard that the two vehicles almost became one vehicle," said Trooper Cliff Pratt.
According to the State Patrol, the collision pushed the Solara into a 1994 Toyota pickup truck, which then collided with a 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
A woman who was riding in the Solara had head injuries as a result of the collision, and another passenger in the Solara was injured in the crash and taken to the hospital. Both are expected to recover.
In this accident the driver of the van clearly violated the Washington criminal statue prohibiting driving under the influence. The violation of this statute not only subjects the driver to criminal liability, but also can be used as "strong evidence" of his negligence in the civil context.
For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.