DUI Suspected in Mason County Crashing Injuring Five

Mark McLean

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A Sunday accident on Highway 3 in North Mason County injured five people, including two children.

"As the Port Orchard driver began to pass the pickup, he hit the left rear corner of the truck, according to Washington State Patrol reports. The Port Orchard man's van then hit, head-on, a 2006 Toyota Scion traveling in the northbound lane, according to reports."

Police suspect that the driver of the van was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

In this situation, the driver of the van likely violated at least two Washington statutes: (1) the criminal statute prohibiting driving under the influence; and (2) the "rules of the road" statute(s) regarding proper manners of passing other vehicles and proper lane usage. The violation of these statutes 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 matter, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.