The unidentified victim was brought to Ridgecrest Hospital for treatment, officials say
RIDGECREST, CA, (December 29, 2024) - An allegedly drunken driver crashed into another vehicle, causing injuries to its driver Sunday evening in Kern County's Ridgecrest, according to authorities.
Pierson Milazzo was reportedly drunk when he crashed his vehicle into another car, injuring its driver Sunday evening in Kern County's Ridgecrest, according to authorities.
The incident happened around 6:48 p.m. at West Felspar Avenue and North China Lake Boulevard.
For undetermined reasons, Ridgecrest resident Pierson Milazzo lost control of his car, slammed into another vehicle, and also knocked down a streetlight. Milazzo was given a DUI test after exhibiting signs of intoxication. The 36-year-old was later charged with a felony for DUI causing bodily injury and DUI with a BAC of over 0.08%.
The second driver—whom officials did not identify—was taken to Ridgecrest Hospital for treatment, officials said.
Authorities are investigating.
CRASH INVESTIGATION NEEDED
Impaired drivers are a risk to everyone on the road and can senselessly ruin people's lives.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every day, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that’s one person every 39 minutes. In 2021, 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths — a 14% increase from 2020. In 2020, about 338,000 people were injured in a drunk driving crash.
“Road conditions, visibility, and lighting are all possible contributing factors considered and examined,” said Candice Bond, an experienced auto accident attorney and Managing Partner with Bond Legal.
“An accident reconstruction team is sometimes needed to help piece together what happened. All of these resources are necessary for helping clients receive monetary compensation for damages or a loss following a collision,” said Bond.
PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM
The injured victim may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim pending an investigation.
Bond, a national legal analyst for Newsline, said, “Injured victims involved in a collision often seek a personal injury claim to cover the cost of medical bills, future medical care, loss of income, emotional trauma, and pain and suffering.
“Insurance companies can be notoriously unconcerned with the mounting costs that an injured party may accrue. An attorney can help. We protect the victims of these tragedies daily, forcing the insurance companies to pay for their mistakes,” she added.
If you, a friend, or a family member have been injured at the hands of a hit-and-run or drunken driver, contact our national legal analyst Candice Bond for a free consultation for guidance.
(Candice Bond, our national legal analyst, is a Managing Partner at Bond Legal. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-985-6515 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).