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An Ocala man was arrested outside of Homosassa on Saturday night after a suspected drunk driving crash crash that left a 4-year-old child seriously injured.
At around 7:15 p.m., there was a collision near the intersection of West Grover Cleveland and South Roxbury Terrace. The responding officer noticed that the driver of a Dodge Ram involved in the crash showed signs of intoxication, according to the arrest report.
The driver of that vehicle, 48-year-old Chadwick Perry Evans, told police that he had been drinking at a Homosassa bar since noon and that he had six or seven beers, with his last being about an hour before the accident.
A 4-year-old passenger in another vehicle was seriously injured and hospitalized at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point.
The Florida State Trooper administered sobriety tests, which the report says Evans did poorly on. He was charged with DUI causing serious injury. After being brought to Citrus County Jail, Evans was given a breath test which measured at 0.169 and 0.168 percent - over twice the legal limit.
Attorney contributor Michael Haggard helps people who have been injured by drunk drivers find the justice and financial compensation they deserve. Here is Michael with some insight into the legal options available to people who have been hit by drunk drivers in Florida:
When a drunk driver causes an accident and others are injured, the victims may have one or more options for financial compensation. In all 50 states, people who suffer injuries caused by intoxicated individuals may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit against that individual. In some states, and under certain conditions, people injured by drunk drivers may also have a case for a lawsuit against the alcohol vendor who served the person that caused the accident.
Florida is one of the states that allow alcohol vendors to be held liable for injuries caused by intoxicated customers. However, there are specific conditions that must be met in order to file this type of claim (known as a dram shop lawsuit.)
In order for an alcohol vendor to be held liable for injuries in Florida, the victim and their legal counsel must prove that the vendor provided alcohol to a minor under age 21 or to someone who is "habitually addicted" to alcohol.
Each drunk driving crash case is unique and these conditions can make drunk driving injury cases complicated. If you or someone you love has recently been injured by a drunk driver, we advise speaking with an experienced drunk driving accident victims lawyer about your case and legal options.
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