Blog Post

Pulling over to the side of the freeway, and getting out to change a flat tire shouldn't have to be as dangerous as it often is. A car accident on the 91 freeway in California on Sunday proved that the danger is not from the fact that you're out on the freeway, but from the reckless and drunk drivers on it.

28-year-old Raul Hinojosa and his friend Matthew Lawetzki had pulled over on the side of the westbound lane, and were engaged in changing a flat tire on their Nissan Sentra.  According to the Orange County Register, a Ford Ranger driven by Allyn Barry Casey approached the Nissan in the right lane, and swerved his car onto the right shoulder, hitting the disabled car.  Lawetzki was able to see what was coming and jump over the guardrail and out of harm's way.  Hinojosa took the full impact of the car accident and was killed instantly.   He was the one changing the tire at the time of the car crash.  Lawetzki was taken to the hospital for treatment for his injuries, while the driver of the Ford was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

Hinojosa was just 28-years-old, and this must be a traumatic time for his family.  He was not in the wrong at all.  All he was doing was changing a flat tire after having pulled over safely (or so he thought) to the side of the road.  You should be able to pull over on a road, and fix your car if needed, without wondering if a drunk driver will show up and choose that same moment to barrel his vehicle into yours.  

Just yesterday, we reported that drunk driving accident fatalities nationwide are showing a downward trend thanks to the minimum drinking age.  It's plain to see that the minimum drinking age will have a limited impact as long as people like Casey continue to shirk their driving duties. He was 58-years-old.  It's extremely frustrating to see older people who simply should know better, taking part in such destructive behavior.  You can blame drunk driving behavior on ignorance and foolishness when the offender is underage, but when you see drivers like Casey so unmindful of their responsibilities on the streets, it's enough to make you demand more severe punishment for offenders.

Hinojosa's family must be struggling with the emotional aspects of this car accident, while Lawetzki continues to be in the hospital with medical costs of his own.  The two families must consult with an experienced Orange County car accident attorney to protect their legal rights.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.