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Officers with the Westminster Police Department arrested a man who allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence the night of Friday, August 31 in Westminster. 25-year-old Elliot Hayden Bond faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to notify police of an accident - hit and run, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident with death - hit and run.
According to the authorities, a 15-year-old boy was crossing the Wadsworth Parkway illegally against a red light in the crosswalk at 100th Avenue at around 11 p.m. when a vehicle driving southbound struck him.
The vehicle did not stop and continued south on Wadsworth. With the assistance of a witness, officers were able to locate the suspect a few blocks away from the scene. Bond was taken to Jefferson County Jail.
The teen victim's identity is not being released.
Attorney contributor Dan Lipman has experience fighting for the legal rights of drunk driving victims. We've asked him to share some thoughts on third-party liability for drunk driving injuries and deaths in Colorado:
When someone is injured in a traffic accident caused by a negligent driver, the victim often has grounds for a personal injury lawsuit against that negligent driver. If that driver was drunk during the accident, residents of Colorado and many other states may also have the option to file a dram shop lawsuit against an alcohol vendor who provided the drunk driver with alcohol before the accident.
Colorado's dram shop laws say that alcohol licensees (any business that is licensed to sell alcohol in Colorado) can be held liable for drunk driving injuries if they sell or give alcohol to someone who is visibly intoxicated or under age 21, and that person injures others in an alcohol-related accident.
If you or a loved one has recently been hit by a drunk driver and you're curious about your legal options, we advise discussing your case with an experienced DUI victims lawyer.
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