Vista, California - At Least 6 Injured In Crash Sparked By Underage Suspected Drunk Driver

20-year-old Suspected Drunk Driver Arrested After Accident

Last Update: 7/13/2020

At least six people were injured in a wild multi-vehicle accident sparked by a 20-year-old driver who was attempting to escape from the police. Shortly after 2:20 a.m. on August 8, a California Highway Patrol Officer attempted to pull over a Nissan Sentra that was observed speeding and following other vehicles too closely. The driver was 20-year-old Christian Avila Ramos, who attempted to flee when the officer tried to make a traffic stop. Less than a mile after the chase began, the Sentra ran through a red light and crashed into a Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Corolla at the intersection of East Vista Way and CA-76.

Both Ramos and an unnamed 19-year-old female passenger were rushed to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla with major injuries. Additionally, a 65-year-old man driving the Hyundai and another 19-year-old woman in the Nissan were brought to Palomar Medical Center with minor to moderate injuries.

Two other passengers in the Nissan suffered minor injuries but refused treatment.

Avila-Ramos is expected to be charged with felony DUI, felony evading, and felony evading causing injury once he is medically cleared.

Legal Options For Drunk Driving Victims in California

California-based injury lawyer and contributor, Jason Amala, has offered to share some thoughts on liability in underage drunk driving accidents:

“When someone gets injured in an accident caused by a negligent driver, they often have the option to seek financial compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit. Driving while intoxicated is a clear case of negligence, so victims of drunk driver accidents often wonder if they have legal recourse. As long as your lawyer can prove that negligence caused the accident which leads to your injuries, you will likely have a strong case for financial compensation,” Mr. Amala explained.

He goes to share, “In addition, California has a social host law that allows victims of underage drunk drivers to file lawsuits against the alcohol vendor or social host who provided alcohol to the underage driver before the accident. This means that bars and nightclubs who serve underage customers, as well as party hosts and other adults who provide alcohol to minors, can all be sued if that minor injures someone else.”