The Villages-News reports that a DUI suspect has been arrested after a crash killed three Summerfield residents, two of whom were children.
At about 2:12 p.m. on Thursday, 71-year-old Emilio Nunez was driving a 2003 Suzuki Vitara on County Road 484 at County Road 467 in Marion County. His vehicle was struck by a 1999 Ford F350 that was driven by Stephen Lynn, a 48-year-old Ocala resident.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Nunez had the green light and Lynn ran the red light at the intersection. Nunez’s vehicle overturned, landing in a ditch.
Nunez was pronounced dead at the scene, as was 9-year-old Neveah Nunez. 7-year-old Katalya Nunez died at the hospital a short time later.
Lynn was arrested and is facing charges of three counts of DUI manslaughter and one charge of driving while license suspended.
According to the accident report, all three victims in the Suzuki were properly restrained.
Three other passengers in Lynn’s vehicle suffered from minor injuries.
In addition to criminal charges, an intoxicated person involved in an accident may also have to compensate the people who are injured. There are several factors that are considered when evaluating the compensation for a DUI accident. The first consideration is the degree of fault. While a DUI driver may be criminally responsible, if the other driver had some fault in the accident, this will be considered.
Another consideration is dram shop laws. Dram shop laws allow for the venue serving alcohol to be held responsible in the event of a DUI accident. A victim of a DUI accident may receive compensation for loss of wages, cost of medical care, pain and suffering, and wrongful death.
Florida Dram Shop Laws Dram shop laws refer to the statutes governing the liability of places that sell alcohol. In an accident, like a drunk driving accident, these laws can dictate whether you can file a lawsuit against the dram shop for serving the person who injured you. These laws differ by state, so Florida has its laws with...
Uninsured Drunk Driving Accidents: How to Seek Compensation You can seek financial compensation after getting hit by an uninsured drunk driver. One of your first options is to seek benefits from your insurance policy. You can also sue the driver, who must pay you from their assets. A Fort Lauderdale drunk driving lawyer from our law firm can also determine if someone else is...
How Many Accidents Are Caused by Drunk Driving? According to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2019, 10,142 people died in drunk driving accidents nationwide. That equals about one fatality every 52 minutes. In 2019, Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) says that drunk driving caused 4,984 collisions, 351 of which were fatal. If you...
Punitive Damages in Florida DUI Accident Cases Drunk drivers can wreak havoc on Florida roads, causing serious, potentially life-threatening injuries and catastrophic property damage. A driver who gets behind the wheel with a blood alcohol level that exceeds the state’s limitations cannot safely operate their vehicle. They, and their insurance company, can be held accountable for their actions and your resulting expenses...