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A bicyclist was struck and injured by a suspected drunk driver in a pickup truck at the intersection of Cross Road and State Road in Dartmouth on Saturday, November 9.
39-year-old Russell Nichols was the pickup truck driver and has been charged with operating under the influence of liquor second offense, leaving the scene of a crash resulting in personal injury, operating a motor vehicle after revocation of registration, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
According to the authorities, Dartmouth police and fire personnel responded to reports of a crash involving a motor vehicle and bicyclist at around 10:58 p.m. on Saturday. Responding officers found a 19-year-old male bicyclist with non-life-threatening injuries. Officers and fire department officials provided medical aid at the scene.
The bicyclist told police that he had been hit from behind by a pickup truck while he was stopped at a red light at the intersection of State Road and Cross Road. The victim told officers that after the collision, the driver exited his vehicle and asked the victim if he was "OK." The cyclist responded that he was not, and Nichols said he would call the police before getting back into his truck and fleeing the scene.
Police spoke with witnesses and investigated the scene. They found a truck matching the description on State Road and pulled over the driver, eventually determining that Nichols was involved in the crash. Police administered field sobriety tests and arrested Nichols.
The cyclist was brought to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford for further treatment of his injuries.
Attorney contributor Kim Dougherty helps secure financial compensation for people who have been injured by drunk drivers. Here is Kim with some general information on the legal options available to those who have been injured in Massachusetts drunk driving crashes:
If you've been injured in a crash involving a drunk driver, you likely have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit against that driver. Additionally, Massachusetts and many other states have dram shop laws that allow alcohol vendors to be sued for injuries caused by customers, depending on the circumstances of the crash.
In Massachusetts, alcohol vendors are prohibited from serving or selling alcohol to any "intoxicated person." When a vendor violates this law and serves alcohol to an intoxicated person who injures someone else in a drunk driving crash, the injured person may have grounds for a lawsuit against the vendor.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed after being hit by a drunk driver, you can learn more about your legal options in a free consultation with one of our drunk driving injury victims lawyers.
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