Fatal DUI Crash

A woman has been charged with felony drunk driving after a deadly crash in Las Vegas on March 25, 2013. Shauna Miller, 26, was driving westbound on Spring Mountain Road. At the intersection with Wynn Road, her Hummer collided with the Ford Escort driven by James White. White died at the scene. White’s 2 year old son was in the vehicle and sustained non life-threatening injuries.

A responding officer noticed Miller’s eyes were glassy and her pupils were constricted, according to her arrest report. She also smelled of alcohol. After failing two field sobriety tests, Miller was arrested and taken to the Clark County Detention Center for a blood test.

According to the Metropolitan Police, tests show she had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit and a marijuana level more than five times the limit. Miller also admitted to police taking a Xanax pill the night of the accident, when she had no prescription for Xanax.

Miller disputes responsibility for causing the accident.

Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of accidental deaths and injuries in the US. MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) reports that in 2011, 9,878 people died in drunk driving crashes nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly 30 people in the country die every day in motor vehicle accidents that are alcohol-related. This means one death every 48 minutes, and serious injuries for someone every 2 minutes.

The state of Nevada reports that 91 people died in alcohol-related accidents in the state in 2011. In Clark County, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested 6,121 motorists for DUI in August 2012.

The average person metabolizes alcohol at the rate of about one drink per hour. A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 72-proof distilled spirits, all of which contain the same amount of alcohol – about .54 ounces.

Cannabis is second only to alcohol for causing impaired driving and motor vehicle accidents. In 2009, 12.8% of young adults reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs and in the 2007 National Roadside Survey, more drivers tested positive for drugs than for alcohol. These cannabis smokers had a 10-fold increase in car crash injury compared with infrequent or nonusers after adjustment for blood alcohol concentration.

Some states, including Nevada have passed “per se” laws, in which it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle if there is a minimal defined level of a prohibited drug, or its metabolites, in the driver’s blood.

Life and health are precious. Substance use or abuse and driving don’t go together.

Attorney Eric Woods has assisted hundred of victims and their families deal with the injuries and other consequences of motor vehicle accidents caused by DUI drivers. Drivers under the influence, whether impaired by alcohol or other drugs, cause serious and fatal accidents. Eric Woods helps injured drivers and passengers obtain medical attention and monetary compensation following DUI caused accidents.

If you are seeking compensation for injuries after a DUI accident, Attorney Eric Woods can help you. Call the law office of Eric Woods today to schedule a free consultation.

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