Miami Accident Lawyer Blog
According to several news reports, a young woman was killed by police officers after she reportedly crashed into two vehicles, and according to onsite officers and witness accounts, attempted to flee the scene.
Late Sunday night of the holiday weekend, according to police the driver of a black BMW sedan and her companion got into the vehicle and sped into oncoming traffic on Ocean Drive, which resulted in collisions with two separate vehicles– all in full view of people looking on from the sidewalk.
Sources report that the car first ran a red light, which led to a collision with one vehicle. The passenger in the car that was hit reported that the light was clearly green and that two other cars had already gone through the intersection at the time of impact, and that he believed the driver was going at least 60 miles per hour.
Then, as uniformed Miami Beach officers attempted to approach the driver and people on the scene began to surround the vehicle, video footage reportedly showed the car quickly screeched forward, crashing into a police officer standing in the street. Another officer then fired three shots, in order to prevent further casualties. The car then crashed into the second vehicle shortly thereafter.
Although officers attempted to render CPR, unfortunately the driver passed away. The roads were closed for several hours, as a result of the accident. The officers and passengers in the first car were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of their minor injuries. Witnesses believe that the woman may have been intoxicated, potentially explaining her reported attempt to flee the scene. Witnesses were reported as stating their opinions that the driver was either drunk or “messed up.” Officials have stated that a full investigation of the incident is taking place to determine what happened.
DUI, also known as driving under the influence, claims hundreds of lives and injuring thousands every year. DUI related accidents and deaths are not just a problem in Miami and Florida, but across the nation. It is unclear whether this accident is related to the reported decline in DUI related arrests across Miami, with many advocates stating their belief that slacking enforcement leads to greater risk of injury to the public. (Another source points out although Florida is consistently ranked as among the worst in the country for drivers, it is ranked as sixth lowest in the nation for DUI arrests).
In addition to potentially implicating civil liability via claims of negligence, driving under the influence also violates criminal laws. As such, DUI accidents are considered a form of negligence per se. This means that the act of driving under the influence and violating the criminal prohibition also serves to establish negligence a matter of law. For DUI car accident victims in Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Palm Beach, a legal finding of driving under the influence may also be legal grounds to pursue punitive damages, which could result in a drunk driver being punished civilly for their actions.
At Gerson & Schwartz, P.A., our Miami DUI accident lawyers are committed to fighting for the rights and best interests of those affected by DUI accidents in Miami against others who choose to operate a vehicle under the influence whether it’s alcohol and/ or drugs. If you or a loved one have been injured or killed as a result of someone driving under the influence, contact us today in order to discuss your case. We can be reached through this website or by calling (877) 475-2905.
Read More:
Florida State Rep Wants to Toughen State Texting Law, Miami Injury Lawyer Blog, published August 21, 2017
Ambulance Chasers: What To Do If You Are Contacted By A Case Runner Miami Injury Lawyer Blog, published July 18, 2017