Police say that the same New Hampshire man caused crashes in Reading and Wakefield while driving drunk last Friday evening, November 29.
29-year-old Jonathan Markow has been charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and operating to endanger. Police have also said that more charges will likely be filed.
At around 8:10 p.m. on Friday, Reading police and fire personnel responded to reports of a multi-vehicle crash with injuries on Walkers Brook Drive. Responding officers said they discovered three cars that had been seriously damaged.
An initial investigation found that Markow struck two vehicles before stopping, according to the police. Reading police were then contacted by Wakefield police, who informed them that a car with a similar description had been reported for causing a crash and fleeing in Wakefield.
Between the two crashes, five people, including Markow, were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Both of these crashes are still being investigated.
Attorney contributor Kim Dougherty represents drunk driving injury victims and their families, helping them secure the financial compensation they deserve in civil lawsuits. Here are some thoughts from Kim on the legal rights of those who have been injured by drunk drivers in Massachusetts:
When a drunk driver causes a crash and other people are injured, those people may be entitled to financial compensation through one or more types of lawsuits. A personal injury lawsuit can be filed directly against the driver. Additionally, there are some situations where those injured may have the right to file a dram shop lawsuit against an alcohol vendor.
According to Massachusetts dram shop laws, an alcohol vendor can be sued for injuries caused by a customer if the customer was already visibly intoxicated at the time the alcohol vendor served them alcohol.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver, it's important to be aware of your options for financial compensation. You can learn more in a free consultation with one of our drunk driving injury victims lawyers.
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/Reading-Wakefield-Car-Crashes-565629902.html