Fatal DUI Car Accident In Orange County
A man killed October 16, 2009 in an Orange County car accident has been identified as 51-year-old Brook Boynton. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Boynton was heading south on the 73 toll road when Richard Ernest Caselli, 37, rear-ended him. Caselli was reportedly doing over 100 mph driving a Volvo sedan on the roadway when the accident occurred near Laguna Canyon Road. Boynton was thrown out off his Nissan SUV as it flipped over due to the impact of the collision. He was pronounced dead at the site of the accident.
Caselli was reportedly arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence and faces gross vehicular manslaughter charges. He did not take the field sobriety tests and exhibited signs of intoxication, California Highway Patrol officials said.
DUI Car Accidents Are Deadly
I offer my deepest condolences to the family of Brook Boynton, who was the victim in this deadly car accident. Here was a man, clearly loved very much by his family and held in esteem by his co-workers at Behr Process in Santa Ana, only to be snatched from them seemingly by the actions of a reckless individual. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Boynton family.
From this news account, it seems clear that Caselli was responsible for the accident and the resulting death. He apparently drove negligently when he sped in his Volvo and crashed into the victim's Nissan. Officials are saying Caselli was driving under the influence when he struck the SUV. His decision to drive while under the influence it seems to me, blatantly disregarded the safety of others and has cost the precious life of a respected community member. This is a huge tragedy.
California DUI Laws
California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) states: "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle." The same code section also states that it is illegal for any person with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more to drive a vehicle.
Also, California Penal Code section 191.5 (a) states: "Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, in the driving of a vehicle, where the driving was in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, and the killing was either the proximate result of the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, and with gross negligence, or the proximate result of the commission of a lawful act that might produce death, in an unlawful manner, and with gross negligence."
Contacting A Personal Injury Lawyer
Caselli is no doubt, being held on the felony charges based on the above California Codes. However, if I were a member of the Boynton family, I'd be looking into filing civil charges against the DUI driver. His actions have caused a tremendous loss and damage to the family. A skilled Orange County personal injury lawyer can certainly help the victims and their families in these types of situations.
A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will help hold the negligent parties fully accountable for their actions and secure the compensation the victim's family truly deserves. Their lawyer should also look into any possible seat restraint failures, especially as the victim was ejected from his car.
We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.
