Benton County, Missouri - 2 Injured, 1 Arrested on DWI Charges After Crash on Route 65

Michael Thomas, Leah Young Injured, Joseph Hand Arrested in Suspected DWI Crash

Two people were injured and one of the two drivers involved was arrested on DWI charges following a crash on US-65 near MO-7 last Wednesday, October 2. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the crash shortly before 8:00 p.m.

According to the report, 63-year-old Joseph V. Hand was driving a 2012 Dodge and failed to stop at a stop sign. The Dodge then collided with a 2016 Chevrolet driven by 57-year-old Michael T. Thomas.

Thomas was moderately injured in the collision. 49-year-old Leah Young was a passenger in Hand's vehicle and also suffered moderate injuries.

Both Thomas and Young were hospitalized at Bothwell Regional Health Center. Hand was charged with felony DWI and brought to the Benton County Jail.

Financial Compensation for People Hit by Drunk Drivers in Missouri

Have you or a loved one recently gotten injured after being hit by a drunk driver in Missouri? Here is attorney contributor Reed Martens with some information on your legal options:

Getting injured in a collision with a drunk driver can cause a variety of personal and financial difficulties. If you or someone close to you is in this difficult situation, it's important to be aware of your options for financial compensation. In Missouri and many other states, you may have grounds for two different types of lawsuits.

In all 50 states, people who have been injured by drunk drivers may file a personal injury lawsuit against that driver. Additionally, Missouri and several other states have dram shop laws, which allow alcohol vendors to be held liable for injuries caused by their customers.

Eligibility for filing a dram shop lawsuit depends on the circumstances leading up to the crash. According to Missouri's dram shop law, someone injured by a drunk driver may have grounds for a lawsuit against the business that served alcohol to that driver if the driver was "visibly intoxicated" at the time they were served.

You can learn more about your legal options after being hit by a drunk driver in a free consultation with a drunk driving injury victims lawyer.

Sources

https://ksisradio.com/2-injured-1-arrested-after-benton-county-wreck/