Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog
While jogging may be good exercise, it can also be quite dangerous along busy roads, particularly given the presence of drunk drivers. For this reason, joggers should exercise as much caution as possible and always wear proper reflective clothing. However, despite the need to take these precautions, there is no valid excuse for when a drunk driver negligently hits a pedestrian or jogger. Unfortunately, it continues to happen far too often.
According to a recent news feature from ABC 5 Boston, witnesses to an alleged drunk driving accident involving a jogger decided to chase after the suspect when the suspect fled the scene. This accident occurred in Attleboro, Massachusetts at around five in the afternoon. The jogger was in his 50’s, and authorities have said that his injuries were very serious in nature and appeared to be life threatening, though his exact condition is unknown as of this time.
Witnesses say that after the suspect allegedly hit the man while he was jogging, she fled the scene in an apparent hit-and-run. At this point, they followed her in their own respective vehicles and managed to box her in, so she could not further flee the scene. The police were notified and responded to the scene of the alleged drunk driving accident and also to where the witnesses had stopped the suspect.
When the police approached the alleged drunk driver, they immediately suspected she had been operating her vehicle at the time of the accident and charged her with various criminal charges and also cited her for related moving violations. When first responders arrived at the scene of the accident, they did what they could to stabilize the man before transporting him to a level-one trauma facility for further treatment including emergency surgery.
It should be noted that the driver has not been convicted of any crime in connection with this accident as of this time and is presumed innocent unless and until she is found guilty by a judge or jury beyond a reasonable doubt.
While in some cases, an alleged hit-and-run driver is caught following a Boston drunk driving accident, this is not always the case and something with which you can discuss with your experienced attorney. If the drunk driver is not caught, you might think that there would be nobody to sue in this case. However, in this case, we actually have what the car accident lawyers call a John Driver. While you have probably heard of the term John Doe before, in the law, a John and Jane Doe and Mark and Mary Roe (as in Roe v. Wade) are fictitious names used to represent a name that either of an unknown person or a person whose the name the court is trying to protect.
In the case of a John Driver, the name is used to represent the driver who was never identified. Since we don’t know who he or she is, we don’t know if that person had car accident liability insurance, so we treat the case if you were hit by an uninsured driver. With an uninsured driver, you lawyer can help you file a claim under what is known as the UIM policy of your insurance plan.
If you or someone you love has been injured a Boston drunk driving accident, call for a free and confidential appointment at (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
DUI driver chased by witnesses after hitting jogger, police say, September 7, 2016, ABC 5 Boston
More Blog Entries:
Bruins Star Ray Bourque Arrested for Drunk Driving After Car Accident, July 5, 2016, Boston Drunk Driving Injury Lawyer Blog