Marcus Alex Nelson, 21, and Aaron Beaver, 21, were killed in a San Luis Obispo car accident involving a suspected drunk driver. According to a news report in The Tribune, the fatal DUI collision occurred the early morning of June 17, 2011 on Avila Beach Drive in San Luis Obispo.

The 2004 Saturn that Evan Alexander Green was driving rolled over several times. Passengers, Nelson and Beaver, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Green, who was charged with vehicular manslaughter, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Officials say Green had a blood alcohol level of .245 and .232 the two times they gave him a BAC test, which is about three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Marcus Alex Nelson and Aaron Beaver following this tragic DUI car crash. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 36 people were injured in San Luis Obispo DUI collisions. During that same year, alcohol-related crashes in San Luis Obispo County claimed 11 lives and injured 199 people.

California Drunk Driving Charges

It appears that the driver in this case, Green, had a blood alcohol level that was way over the legal limit. Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is illegal under California law. A driver whose act of driving under the influence results in the death of another will likely face vehicular manslaughter charges.

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."

Liability Issues

In cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, the family of a deceased car accident victim can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for medical and funeral costs, lost future income, loss of companionship, and other related damages. Families of victims would be well-advised to contact a reputed California personal injury lawyer, who has a successful track record of holding drunk drivers financially responsible for their actions. For more information about the dangers of driving under the influence, please visit the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) web site at www.madd.org.

Lost a family member in a California DUI car accident? Want to know your rights? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation? Want justice? Want to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to another family?

Call your best friends in the legal industry after a fatal San Luis Obispo County car accident. Call 866-990-8787. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.

Call a BISNAR | CHASE California wrongful death lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your rights by attorneys who have been representing families of deceased accident victims since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a compassionate and understanding law firm in a comfortable environment.