Downers Grove, Illinois - Marco Alegria Charged with DUI After Wrong-Way Crash That Injured Pregnant Woman on I-355

Wrong-Way Driver Charged with DUI Injuring Pregnant Woman

33-year-old Marco Alegria has been charged with DUI for allegedly driving drunk the wrong way on I-355 before crashing and injuring a pregnant driver. He has been ordered held on $25,000 bail.

On Sunday, Alegria was allegedly driving north in the southbound lanes of I-355 when he collided head-on with another vehicle. That vehicle then careened into the center median, seriously injuring the 31-year-old pregnant driver. She required surgery on her hip and broke her leg and ankle.

Doctors were forced to induce labor because of her injuries. Her baby is now in intensive care.

Alegria’s blood-alcohol content was allegedly measured at 0.13, which is above the legal limit. He was brought to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Alegria posted 10% of his bail on Monday and was released. He will appear in court again on May 29.

Legal Recourse for People Hit by Drunk Drivers in Illinois

Brian Kent helps people who have been injured by drunk drivers get the financial compensation they need and deserve. Here are some thoughts from Brian on the legal options available to these individuals in Illinois in drunk driving lawsuits:

Illinois is one of many states which allow people injured by drunk drivers to file two different types of lawsuits: a personal injury and dram shop claim. Personal injury lawsuits are filed against the person who caused the accident. Dram shop laws allow people who have been injured by drunk drivers to, under certain conditions, file lawsuits against the alcohol vendor who supplied the alcohol to the drunk driver.

In order to have grounds for a dram shop claim in Illinois, the injured person and their legal counsel must establish that:

• the person who caused the injury was intoxicated at the time of the injury,
• the vendor sold or gave alcohol to the person who caused the injury and that person consumed it,
• the person’s intoxication was caused by the alcohol they consumed,
• the injuries were at least partly caused by the intoxication, and
• the injured person suffered personal injuries or property damage.

If you or a loved one has recently been injured by a drunk driver, it’s important to be aware of your legal rights. You can learn more about your potential right to financial compensation by speaking with an experienced DUI accident victims lawyer in a free consultation.

Sources:

https://patch.com/illinois/plainfield/plainfield-mans-wrong-way-crash-injures-pregnant-woman-i-355