The new year has brought new challenges for those trying to keep Arizona roads safe. From maintenance crews to transportation departments, an all out effort is being made to make sure that Arizona drivers get to where they're going safely. Of course, from time to time a car accident still happens, as occurred recently near the city of Quartzite.
According to the La Paz County Sheriff's office, the driver accused of being at fault in the accident was booked on multiple felony charges. The driver, 58, is from Guadalupe. He was at the wheel of a semi-truck heading westbound along Interstate 10 at the time of the accident.
Arizona's Department of Public Safety says that his semi-truck rear-ended an SUV on Jan. 10 at around 4 a.m. The SUV had a family of seven inside. When hit, it veered off the road and rolled over, resulting in the ejection of two occupants. Those two, a man, 39, and a woman, 66, died at the scene. The other five occupants of the vehicle that was hit were given medical treatment at Phoenix's Maricopa County Medical Center. Their injuries range from moderate to serious.
The man, according to the DPS, left the scene after the accident. Police found him 0.5 miles away. He was taken into custody and examined by a drug recognition expert, who determined that he was under the influence.
In this case, the driver will need an excellent attorney to advise him on all his legal options. They way he approaches his defense will impact the decisions a judge makes. Anyone accused of causing a car accident should also get an attorney right away, and be fully prepared to defend themselves.
Source: Palo Verde Valley Times, "Friday crash claims two lives and sends Arizona man to jail" No author given, Jan. 15, 2014