Florida rate of alcohol-related car accidents is higher than the national average. The implied consent laws require drivers to submit to either blood, urine, or breath testing if a police officer suspects a DUI. Those injured in a DUI accident in Florida may seek out punitive damages against the driver. This is thanks to a 1976 Florida Supreme Court decision that said getting behind the wheel while intoxicated shows a flagrantly reckless attitude. In drunk driving cases, there is no cap on the amount of punitive damages a victim may receive.
The Chronicle Online reports on an Ocala man charged with DUI in an accident that seriously injured a child.
The Florida Highway Patrol jailed a man for allegedly driving under the influence during a crash that left a child seriously injured.
No details are available about the Saturday night crash other than it took place outside Homosassa. A Florida Highway Patrol officer was investigating the crash when he noticed that Chadwick Perry Evans, the driver of a Dodge Ram, showed signs of intoxication.
The 48-year-old Evans told the trooper he had been at a Homosassa bar since about noon. He had about six or seven beers, finishing the final one about an hour before the crash. He performed badly on a field sobriety test and was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
At the Citrus County Jail, Evans took a breathalyzer which measured his blood-alcohol content between 0.169% and 0.168%, which is twice the legal limit.
The staff at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point informed the FHP that a 4-year-old child in the other vehicle suffered from serious injuries as a result of the accident.
After learning of the child’s injuries, the FHP charged Evans with DUI causing serious injury. Evan’s bond was set at $20,500.
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