Three Injured in Crash; Driver Charged with DUI

Three people were injured – one critically – when a car they were riding in overturned near Denali National Park on May 11. Although the driver walked away with no injuries, she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol.

While two of the passengers were airlifted to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, the third passenger declined medical treatment at the scene. While one passenger remains in critical condition, details about the condition of the second passenger are unknown.

DUI in Alaska at a Glance

Although the driver’s name was not revealed by law enforcement, it is known that she is 18-years-old. Here in Alaska, there is a Zero Tolerance Under 21 law. Essentially, this law mandates stiff automatic penalties for anyone younger than 21 if there is any readable blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

Those penalties include:

  • Fines
  • Jail time
  • Mandatory alcohol program attendance
  • Loss of driving license (30 days for 1st offense; 60 days for 2nd offense; 90 days for 3rd offense and one (1) year for 4th and consecutive offenses)

No BAC Required

Concerning BAC, a drunk driver with virtually no BAC reading can still be deemed negligent if there are resulting injuries from the accident.

Our Take on DUI

We’re not going to be shy about it: drunk driving is a plague on our society. Data provided from Mothers Against Drunk Driving tell us that:

  • Every day in the U.S., 27 people die as a result of drunk driving accidents
  • Alcohol use by teens kills 4,700 people annually – more than all illegal drugs combined
  • Two in three people will be involved in a drunk driving-related crash in their lifetime
  • Before their first arrest for DUI, an average drunk driver has driven while impaired more than 80 times
  • Of the more than 1.2 million drivers arrested for DUI each year, about one-third are repeat offenders

Call Barber & Associates LLC if You’ve Been the Victim of a Drunk or Drugged Driver

When it comes to handling DUI-related cases, our efforts are firmly on the side of the person who was injured by the negligent driver. While appropriate compensation cannot make a victim fully whole again, it can go a long ways in covering medical bills, lost wages and other expenses.

If you’ve been injured due to the negligence of a drunk or drugged driver, call the 24-hour injury hotline of Barber & Associates LLC for a free consultation; the number is 907-276-5858.

Leave a Comment