After a Las Vegas native returning from a night of partying in Orange County decided to drive back to his hometown, he ended up causing a mass pile-up that ended the life of one and injured many more. The Law Offices of Howard Kornberg hopes to warn the public of the dangers of drunk drivers in the Los Angeles area while highlighting the legal paths available to you if you are involved in a car accident.
Driving Under the Influence Causes Destruction
The effects of drinking and driving have been plaguing the greater Los Angeles area for years. In one of drunk driving’s most recent consequences, a 25-year-old man from Las Vegas triggered a chain-reaction style automobile pile-up on the Santa Ana Freeway. The accident left a 6-month-old son injured and without a mother.
Irving Aguilar, the Las Vegas man in question, intended to stay in Anaheim after going out with friends around Orange County. Despite his intentions, he instead decided to drive back home with a blood-alcohol level content of .20%. The legal limit for operating a motor vehicle in California is .08%, meaning he was over twice as intoxicated as the legal limit. In addition, Aguilar was operating the car at speeds of over 110 miles per hour without his lights illuminated, coming only weeks after receiving a ticket for driving 61 miles per hour in a 35 zone in his home city of Las Vegas.
The moments leading up to and after the crash were nothing short of stressful and panic-inducing for drivers on the Santa Ana Freeway that night. A tow-truck driver stopped when he saw Aguilar’s mangled car on the side of the road, offering to help as it was blocking high traffic parts of the expressway. A Prius driver that saw the ongoing commotion managed to navigate off the road on only three tires in an attempt to dodge the inevitable wreck. In a quick turn of events, a van smashed into the center concrete divider as they perceived it a better option than crashing into Aguilar’s now inoperable vehicle. Following this, people began crashing into the pile-up one by one, as described by a 911 caller in a flipped Ford Edge.
Irving Aguilar was convicted after only two hours by a jury in a southern California court. His charges include driving under the influence causing injury and second-degree murder. In a statement, the judge added that there would be “sentencing enhancements” as Aguilar caused great bodily damage to five victims who also ended up crashing into the pile-up on the freeway.
The harrowing events of the death of the mother were later described in court. 25-year-old Maria Osuna from San Diego was operating a Mitsubishi Spyder. After wrecking into one of the cars in the pile-up, she quickly unbuckled to check on the well-being of her infant. In a quick turn of events, a van crashed into the back of her car, killing her instantly. Her son suffered skull and neck fractures that were later treated for in the hospital.
Car Accident Attorneys Ready to Fight for Victims
The Law Offices of Howard Kornberg have been providing southern California with experienced and committed Los Angeles car accident attorneys for years. Accidents such as these can have long-lasting effects on the lives of victims and their families, calling for the need for lawyers that are compassionate and able to help. Please reach out to us at 310-997-0904 or via an online contact form for a free consultation regarding a car accident.
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