Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog

A Boston drunk driving accident left two dead and injured another on Route 93 northbound, just south of the River Road exit, according to WCVB TV.

The two-car crash occurred when a speedy and intoxicated 21-year-old driver collided with an SUV. After the collision, the driver left the road, traveled along the center median and drove back onto the roadway. She then struck the SUV once again, rolled over and finally came to a stop in the median.

The driver of the SUV was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and was later pronounced dead. A passenger of the SUV was taken to the hospital and reportedly sustained serious injuries. A second passenger in the SUV was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he later died.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand that drunk drivers greatly increase your risks of a serious or fatal accident on our roadways. In this I-93 accident, the drunk driver was reportedly not injured. If you are involved in an accident with a drunk driver, it is critical for you to contact an experienced attorney to help you fight for your rights and receive the proper compensation.

After the accident, the driver was arrested by police. She is currently facing charges of operating under the influence. More charges are pending. She was scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning at the Lawrence District Court.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the United States had nearly 11,000 deaths resulting from motor-vehicle accidents that involved a drunk driver in 2009. The accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of all traffic fatalities during the entire year. This averages out to one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurring every 48 minutes.

In 2009, the age group with the highest percentage of drivers involved in fatal accidents with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher were those ages 21 to 24. This age group accounted for nearly 40 percent of all of fatal drunk driving accidents.

In 2009, Massachusetts had nearly 150 fatal motor-vehicle accidents involving a drunk driver.

Do you know what to do if you see a drunk driver on our roadways?

-Stay a safe distance away from the driver. Keep you and your passenger our of harm’s way.

-Try to get as much information about the vehicle as you can. This includes the license plate number, the make, model, year and color of the vehicle, a description of the driver, the location of the vehicle and the direction the vehicle is heading.

-Report suspected impaired drivers to the state or local police by dialing 911 or *SP on your cellular phone.

-Once you’ve contacted local authorities, let them take care of it. It is important to remember to keep yourself safe in this situation by staying away from the vehicle and wearing your seat belt.
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(A Newburyport man will be staying behind bars for a as he faces charges of an 11th charge of Operating Under in Massachusetts, according to Daily News. The 57-year-old driver was taken into custody at the McDonalds on Route 110 (Macy Street) in Amesbury after an employee notified authorities about the intoxicated diner.

The alleged drunk driver will have his arraignment in Newburyport District Court. In the meantime, Judge Peter Doyle ordered Flaherty held at the Middleton jail until the second week of June. If the judge determines that he is too much of a risk to the general public, then he will not be released on bail. According to Essex County District Attorney spokesman Steven O’Connell, if he is convicted he will only face five or more years in state prison — the maximum allowed by law.

The truth is, a high percentage of drunk driving accidents in Massachusetts are caused by repeat offenders.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand that these offenders may need to face stricter punishments in order to truly learn a lesson and to understand the dangers and consequences of driving while under the influence. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a drunk driver, it is critical for you to contact and experienced attorney to help you fight for your rights and for the proper compensation you deserve.

The ten-time offender had his license immediately suspended after this 11th charge. Drivers who have been convicted of three or more OUI offenses are required to take a Breathalyzer test if they’re pulled over and asked by police. If they don’t they will immediately lose their license. These rules fall under Melanie’s Law, which was passed back in 2005.

Melanie’s Law was named after a young woman who was killed by a drunk driver back in 2003. This law greatly increases jail time for convictions of driving while drunk. Under the law, drivers who are repeat offenders must use an ignition interlock device on any car they drive. With these interlock systems, any reading over 0.02 will prevent the car from starting. If a driver fails to comply with the interlock program, they will lose their driver’s license for 10 years to life.

His six-page driving record included charges of several OUI violations, driving to endanger, license revocations and reinstatements stemming from incidents in communities all across Greater Newburyport and the North Shore. Somehow he was able to obtain his driver’s license before the first 10-year suspension was completed.

According to police reports, the driver exited the drive-thru and was pulled over to enjoy his food. Police approached him and reported a strong smell of alcohol.

“No, I’m going to eat my sandwich,” said the intoxicated driver to the officers as they asked him to step out of the vehicle.

In addition to the OUI charge, the hungry driver was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
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A State Trooper that was involved in a drunk driving accident in Massachusetts back in 2003 has passed away. The 58-year-old female trooper had been suffering from severe brain injuries after a drunken driver slammed into her cruiser in the breakdown lane of Route 25 in Wareham, according to Boston.com.

The trooper has been unable to walk, talk, feed herself or communicate since the 2003 accident. In 2003, the 18-year-old driver slammed into her cruiser at nearly 100 miles per hour in his dad’s Volvo, according to the Boston-Herald.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family of the Massachusetts State Trooper. As her condition failed to improve, her family decided to bring in hospice care. Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand the devastation a family faces after losing someone in a drunk driving accident. An experienced attorney should be contacted immediately if you or a family member has experienced an accident with an intoxicated driver as you deserve experienced representation in seeking justice and deserved compensation.

“Trooper Engelhardt loved the Massachusetts State Police and the job loved her back,” said State Police Col. Marian J. McGovern, Engelhardt’s drill instructor when she became one of the first women on the force.

The Troopers death comes after a recent and astonishing epidemic of accidents in which trooper’s vehicles have been struck while these enforcement officers were on duty in our state. Roughly half of the 45 Massachusetts state officers that have been hit in the last 18 months were the victims of drunk drivers.

Engelhardt’s vehicle was struck once before by an intoxicated driver less than a year prior. She is one of 32 state troopers that have died in the line of duty since the State Police was founded back in 1865. She was the first female state trooper to die from injuries sustained in the line of duty.

Earlier this week, a 28-year-old Dana-Farber Cancer Institute finance manager was charged with a DUI after she allegedly was driving the wrong way on Morrissey Boulevard and plowed into the cruiser of a State Trooper.

“There is no one common denominator (in these crashes) other than impairment and distraction,” said McGovern.

The drunk driver of Engelhardt’s accident was sentenced back in 2005 to more than 2 years in the Plymouth County House of Correction.

“It is with profound sadness that we mourn the loss of Trooper Ellen Engelhardt, who was not just a valued colleague but also a dear friend who dedicated her career to protecting the citizens of our state. Since suffering the tragic injuries inflicted upon her in the line of duty by a drunk driver, Trooper Engelhardt has been an inspiration to every member of this Department for the courage, grace and dignity with which she lived,” said McGovern.
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A Weymouth woman has entered a plea of not guilty to accusations of driving the wrong way while intoxicated and slamming into a police cruiser. The alleged intoxicated driver has now been ordered to attend at least three meetings a week at Alcoholics Anonymous as a condition for her release, according to the Boston-Herald. The woman is being charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating under the influence and leaving the scene of a personal injury.

Police report that the intoxicated driver traveled the wrong way on Morrissey Boulevard just after midnight this past weekend. The officer reportedly activated her emergency lights in an attempt to stop the wrong-way driver, but her cruiser was struck head-on. The officer was treated and later released from the Boston Medical Center for a lower body injury.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys know about the senseless tragedies that too often result from someone climbing behind the wheel after having too much to drink. We would also like to point out that these types of accidents have been a common occurrence among law enforcement agencies in recent months. Nearly half of these accidents were caused by a drunk driver.

The drunk driver that struck the officer on Morrissey Boulevard was arrested after she allegedly failed her attempt to flee. She also failed a number of sobriety tests, and refused to submit to a breathalyzer, according to police reports. She was later released from jail after posting about $5,000 bail.

She has been banned, by Dorchester District Court Judge Robert McKenna, from driving and been ordered not to use drugs and alcohol.

The young driver was allegedly out celebrating a friends 30th birthday at the Old Colony Yacht Club in Dorchester prior to the accident.

“I know what happened but can’t you let me go home,” said the 28-year-old Weymouth woman when troopers questioned her just moments after the accident. When she was asked how much she had to drink at the club, she responded, “I had a lot while I was there,” according to police.

Judge Robert McKenna ruled that she could very well remain free on her existing bail. She will be attending that pretrial hearing on August 26th.
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A feature created by Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) allows drivers to investigate the rates of drunk driving accidents in Boston and elsewhere throughout the country.

This system that they’ve created allows residents to view the percentage of total accident deaths in their area that have been reported to be DUI related. This interactive map offers 2009 statistics, as they are the most recent. Massachusetts ranks 31st in having the most DUI related traffic-accident fatalities in the United States.

In Massachusetts, the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration of motorists behind the wheel is .08. Our Boston dunk driving accident attorneys recognize that there are a number of laws that regulate the penalties for committing this crime. Additional penalties can occur to the convicted after being busted for drunk driving with a child passenger in a vehicle. The state also exercises statutes that create mandatory testing for all drivers killed in vehicle crashes. These laws, and many others, are meant to protect drivers from being involved in a drunk driving accident in Massachusetts.

This year alone, nearly 11,000 people are expected to die in drunk-driving traffic accidents. This calculates to one death every 50 minutes.

According to MADD, in the last year there were more than 100 deaths resulting from traffic accidents that involved a drunk driver in Massachusetts. These accident fatalities accounted for more than 30 percent of all state traffic deaths. These drunk driving accidents cost the state nearly $800 million.

In the last 5 years, nearly 1,000 people have died in Massachusetts in these drunk driving accidents. Five years of drunk driving accidents cost the state nearly $5 billion.

MADD offers you these tips to help you spot a drunk driver on our roadways:

-Excessive tailgating.

-Quick acceleration or deceleration.

-Near striking of another object on the road.

-Weaving or zig-zagging along the road.

-Stopping without reason of erratic braking.

-Driving into oncoming traffic or on the wrong side of the road.

-Driving slower than the speed limit by at least 10mph.

-Driving with headlights off during the evening hours.

-Straddling lane markers.

-Slow, or no, response to traffic signals.

-Signals that are inconsistent with driving actions.

You’ve spotted a drunk driver. Now what? Follow these steps:

-First off, stay as far away from the vehicle as you can.

-Do not try to stop the vehicle or get them to pull over.

-Get the car’s license plate number, a description of the driver and the car’s make, model and color. Do not compromise your own safety in doing so.

-Pull over and call 911. Give authorities this information along with the location of the vehicle and the direction it’s traveling.

-Leave the rest up to local officials.
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The number of drunk driving accidents in Boston is expected to increase during the Memorial Day holiday weekend and officers are ready for the challenge.

A Braintree Police Department office is gaining recognition for fighting drunk driving in the city and for focusing his efforts on underage drinkers. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is praising the officer for making a record number of arrests on alleged drunk drivers, according to Boston.com.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand the increased dangers each holiday weekend. Residents are urged to avoid drinking and driving this holiday weekend, and every other day of the year, in an attempt to keep out roadways safe and accident-free.

“I have no doubt that your actions in drunk driving and underage drinking enforcement are making our community safer and are protecting our most valuable resource, our children,” said Braintree Chief Paul Frazier.

Another officer, of the Swampscott Police force, was recognized earlier this month, again by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and its MADD’s Drive for Life Award.

The is a special award that is presented to a select number of police officers across the state of Massachusetts; it recognizes excellence and leadership in drunk driving enforcement, according to Swampscott Patch.

The Swampscott Police Department is another department that is focusing its efforts on ensuring the safety of residents by educating and enforcing drunk driving laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

A second and third police officer in the state of Massachusetts are being honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for their effort and dedication to enforcement of laws against underage drinking and drunk driving.

Two Amherst Police Officers are receiving Drive for Life awards from MADD after continued efforts, demonstrations, and commitment to preventing drunk driving, according to Gazette Net.com.

These officers are just a few among the more than 70 local police officers in Massachusetts that are being recognized and honored for their work against drunk driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 11,000 people killed in accidents that involved a driver impaired by the use of alcohol in 2009. The intoxicated drivers caused more than 30 percent of all the deaths resulting from motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. Massachusetts saw nearly 150 fatalities resulting from car accident that involved an impaired driver in 2009.

It was estimated that a person died every 48 injuries because of an accident caused by an impaired driver in 2009.

Over the last six years, the Memorial Day holiday weekend has seen an average increase of more than 12 percent in traffic fatalities when compared to non-holiday periods.

The National Safety Council reports that, for recording purposes, the Memorial Day holiday weekend begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday. The Council estimates that more than 400 traffic deaths, and an additional 39,400 injuries requiring medical attention, will occur over the traditional summer kick-off weekend.
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A young 21-year-old driver facing drunk driving charges begged officers to take him to jail after a deadly early-morning drunk driving accident in Massachusetts that killed two local high school students. The driver has a long, checkered driving record, according to the Boston Herald.

Officers found the young driver covered in blood sitting on a curb next to the accident. He was reportedly crying and pulling his hair, according to Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Ceara Mahoney.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand that drunk drivers pose serious and deadly threats to not only themselves but to all motorists on the road. Massachusetts police officers continue to work to reduce the number of the fatal incidents, but the tragedies continue to strike.

“I killed her. I was driving and I was drunk. I’m responsible for her death. Take me to jail. That’s what I deserve,” Mahoney quoted the driver as saying.

According to authorities, the young, intoxicated driver was coming from a house party with five other passengers when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into concrete barriers on McGrath Highway at close to 4:00 a.m.

The two high schools students who were killed in the accident were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident.

The 21-year-old driver was treated for only minor injuries.

The driver, now facing charges, was arraigned in Somerville District Court. His bail was set at $5,000 by judge Elizabeth Cremens. He is facing charges of two counts of motor vehicle homicide and other offenses.

Grief counselors continue to comfort students at that high school as the schools opened its doors on Saturday to accommodate those students seeking the counseling.

“We need to do a better job educating the students about drinking and driving,” said the high school’s Assistant Superintendent Charles Obremski. “It’s an unfortunate situation. It’s very, very sad.”

The intoxicated driver had a four-page driving record that dates back three years. According to the state Registry of Motor Vehicles, his long list of driving infractions includes at least four suspensions, numerous entries for speeding, no inspection sticker, failure to stop, and lane and seat belt violations.
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Mother’s Against Drunk Driving will be honoring a Braintree police officer this week for his efforts to get drunk drivers off the road and reduce the risks of being involved in a drunk driving accident in Boston and the surrounding areas. The Massachusetts arm of the nonprofit will present the officer with the Drive for Life Award at their annual breakfast gathering, according to the Braintree Patch.

“I have no doubt that your actions in drunk driving and underage drinking enforcement are making our community safer and are protecting our most valuable resource, our children,” said Police Chief Paul Frazier.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys would like to continue to raise awareness in residents of the severe risks behind driving under the influence and it can put you and other motorists at an increased risk for serious injury. The most recent drunk driving bust of the Braintree police department happened just last Wednesday evening.

This Braintree car accident happened at the intersection of Granite and Pond streets. The 23-year-old driver has been arrested and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and leaving the scene of an accident. Police reportedly found him hiding out just a short distance from the accident.

“When officers arrived, they found a Chevrolet Tahoe in the intersection, but no one around,” said Police Chief Russell Jenkins. “As officers began to search the area, a passing motorist directed them to the rear of the River Bend condos, where they located Mazur-McDonnell.”

The driver’s companions submitted statements that led police to believe he had been driving while intoxicated.

“Mazur-McDonnell appeared to have been drinking and did not cooperate with officers when they questioned him,” Jenkins said. “He resisted officer’s efforts to handcuff him and it ultimately took several officers to take him into custody.”

That driver is to be arraigned on the charges in Quincy District Court.
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An alleged drunk driving accident in Massachusetts injured a state trooper on Interstate 93 in Randolph in a construction area in the early morning hours, according to the Boston Herald. The driver is now facing her second operating under the influence (OUI) charge in Quincy District Court after rear-ending the state trooper. She blew a .15 on a Breathalyzer test. authorities report.

“She was unsteady and appeared to need the guardrail for support as she stood on the side of the road,” Herbst said, adding Minasian also had slurred speech, glassy eyes and smelled of alcohol. “At booking, officers indicated she was unable to stand up straight and she was bending over.”

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers would like residents to understand the dangers and consequences of driving while under the influence. Alcohol-related accidents oftentimes lead to serious injury and an experienced attorney should to be contacted immediately if you’ve experienced an accident with one of these irresponsible drivers.

The alleged drunk driver is also facing charges of failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and negligent operation for allegedly hitting the trooper, according to state police.

The officer remains in Boston Medical Center with serious injuries.

According to state police spokesman David Procopio, the early morning accident happened about 1,000 feet from the ramp to Route 24 southbound. At the time of the accident, the far left lane was closed to traffic because of construction work. The lane closure was distinctively marked with signs and arrows and the police cruiser. The cruiser’s emergency lights were activated during the time of the accident.

In the last year a dozen troopers have been injured by vehicles while either working paid details or investigating crashes, according to State Police spokesman David Procopio estimated.

Police statewide, are actively increasing their patrol units as an initiative they’ve called Operation Lightning, according to the Executive Office of Public Safety. This operation is deploying additional patrols every Friday and Saturday night to target drunk drivers.

In the last two weekends alone, the Operation arrested 24 drunk drivers and made an additional 14 arrests on various other charges. Criminal summonses were distributed to 15 other drivers and 263 citations motor vehicle violations were issued by the extra patrols. Operation Lightning expects to run through the rest of the summer.

This year alone, preliminary statistics conclude that there have been nearly 150 fatalities on Massachusetts roadways. Nationwide, about one-third are caused by drunk drivers.

While the statistics aren’t showing a steep increase, local officials are not satisfied. Any number of injury or loss of life on our roads that is caused by impairment, aggression, speeding, negligence or distraction is unacceptable.

Roughly half of the 87 police officers that have been killed in the line of duty across the country so far this year were killed by motor vehicles or in car accidents. The Massachusetts State Police have had 10 cruisers struck by drunk drivers so far this year alone. The current number puts the state on the same pace in reaching last year’s total of 20 cruisers struck by impaired drivers.
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A single-car, drunk driving accident in Massachusetts has taken the lives of two-teenagers — the driver of the vehicle faces charges including negligent motor vehicle homicide by operation under the influence of alcohol, as well as charges of operating under the influence, negligent operation, and speeding, according to Boston.com.

Police reports state that the male driver sped up and suddenly, for no reason and all, slammed on the brake causing the car to slide sideways before it smashed into a barrier on the McGrath Highway, according to Everett Independent.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys would like to remind motorists, once again, of the dangers of driving under the influence. All too often, lives are lost because a driver gets behind the wheel after drinking or taking other drugs. The risks are increased even more when the driver is an inexperienced young operator.

Two female passengers, who were reportedly wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident, died. The first one was pronounced dead as the emergency responders reached the accident scene. The second passenger later died from her injuries.

“He was pulling his hair crying, screaming…’I killed her, I was driving, and I’m drunk,” Assistant District Attorney Ceara Mahoney said at the hearing, adding that the defendant stated, “I’m responsible for her death.”

A not-guilty plea was entered on the driver’s behalf. He was held on $5,000 cash bail.

“We need to do a better job educating the students about drinking and driving,” said Everett Assistant Superintendent Charles Obremski. “It’s an unfortunate situation. It’s very, very sad.”

This isn’t the driver’s first run in with the law as court records show that he has not received serious punishment for any of the previous criminal charges that he’s faced. Just last month, the court dropped charges for assault and battery, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest in Milton after the case was continued without a finding. According to the Quincy District Court clerk’s office, the driver has also previously pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly conduct. That finding was merely put on file.

Earlier this year, the court dismissed even more charges, including charges of being a minor in possession of alcohol and disorderly conduct. According to the Lawrence District Court clerk’s office, the charges were dropped after he completed pretrial probation.

More than 30 percent of drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 who were killed in traffic accidents reportedly had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or high. More than 25 percent had a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2009, more than 5,100 young intoxicated drivers were involved in fatal accidents.
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