Lakewood, Colorado - Todd Grudznske Arrested After Fatal 5-Vehicle DUI Accident Results in Death of Angela Wimmer

1 Driver Killed, Another Arrested After Fatal Accident

Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a five-vehicle DUI accident that resulted in the death of 25-year-old Angela Wimmer on Sunday, September 30. 47-year-old Todd Grudznske was arrested and jailed on suspicion of vehicular homicide/DUI, vehicular homicide/reckless driving, felony DUI, and violation of a protection order.

On Sunday at around 12:45 p.m., officers responded to reports of an accident at the intersection of West Colfax Avenue and Kipling Street. The accident scene covered over 200 feet and many of the five vehicles involved had serious damage.

According to the police, Wimmer was stopped at a red light in the southbound lane of Kipling at Colfax when Grudznske rear-ended her vehicle with his truck while speeding. Wimmer's vehicle flew into the intersection, where it was hit by three other cars. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

Legal Options For Families of  Fatal DUI Crash Victims in Colorado

Attorney Dan Lipman helps families affected by drunk driving tragedies find the answers and support they need and deserve. We've asked him to add some thoughts on the legal options available to those who have lost loved ones in drunk driving accidents in Colorado:

Getting behind the wheel while intoxicated is one of the most reckless decisions a person can make. Driving drunk endangers the lives of everyone the driver passes by on the road that night, but countless individuals still continue to drive drunk and cause accidents on a daily basis. When one of these accidents happens and innocent people are injured or killed in the crash, it's important for the victims and their families to be aware of their legal rights.

While there may be no way to ease the grief of losing a loved one, families in this difficult situation can find some sense of justice through the legal system. Along with having the option to file a wrongful death claim against the drunk driver, these families may also have the right to file a dram shop lawsuit against an alcohol vendor who served the person who caused the crash.

Dram shop laws vary from state to state. According to Colorado's dram shop law, alcohol vendors can be held liable for alcohol-related injuries and deaths if they provided alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person or someone under 21 years of age, and that person went on to cause an alcohol-related accident. These lawsuits can help demand accountability from the alcohol vendors who have a duty to stop serving visibly intoxicated customers, as well as provide financial compensation for damages suffered.

If you or someone you love was recently injured or killed in an accident with a drunk driver, you can learn more about your family's legal options by speaking to an experienced DUI victims lawyer.