Lexington Teen Killed and Six Others Injured in DUI Crash
One of the most nerve-wracking things about being the parent of a teenager is knowing that your teen will learn to drive and will ride in cars with his or her peers, who are also inexperienced drivers. Of course, the car that you are riding in is not the only risk on the road; even the most cautious drivers are at risk of being hit by drunk drivers. You probably know whether your teen is rebellious enough or enough of a risk-taker for you to have to worry about him or her driving drunk or riding home with a drunk driver, but it is all the other drivers on the road you have to worry about. The parents of seven young people in Lexington County are living that nightmare now, after a horrific crash in which a drunk driver collided with not one but two cars. If the driver that caused the accident that injured you was under the influence of alcohol, contact a South Carolina car accident lawyer.
Drunk Driver Who Collided with Two Vehicles Faces Felony DUI Charges
On the evening of February 5, Arcenio Perez-Maldonado of Gaston was driving in the westbound lanes of SC Highway 6, near Edmund Highway. His vehicle crossed the centerline into the eastbound lanes, where it collided with a 2004 Toyota SUV. The impact caused Maldonado’s car to spin and run into a 2008 Chevrolet. The four passengers in the Toyota and the three passengers in the Chevrolet were taken to the hospital and treated for injuries that varied in severity. One of the passengers in the SUV, Dillan Roldan, died of his injuries four days after the accident. He was 15 years old. One of the occupants of the Toyota who was injured is Dillan’s brother Derek.
When police arrived at the scene, they found that Perez-Maldonado had open alcoholic beverage containers in his car and appeared to be intoxicated. He was taken to jail and charged with felony DUI involving serious injury, an ABC violation, and an open container violation. His bond was set at just over $100,000. When Dillan Roldan died, law enforcement revoked Perez-Maldonado’s bond and added a criminal charge for felony DUI resulting in death. It is likely that Perez-Maldonado, 33, will receive a prison sentence for causing the accident, but how much prison time he receives will depend on several factors, such as whether he receives a plea deal and whether he has previous DUI convictions. Like all defendants, Perez-Maldonado has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial. The victims and their families have the right to seek damages in a civil lawsuit.
Contact Us Today for Help
Although DUI accidents are less common than they used to be, they are still devastating, and a Columbia car accident lawyer can help you rebuild your life. Contact The Stanley Law Group for a consultation.
Resource:
abcnews4.com/news/local/teen-passenger-dillan-alexander-roldan-dies-days-after-being-in-three-vehicle-collision
wistv.com/2021/02/11/schp-drunk-driver-caused-crash-that-killed-year-old-hurt-others/
