Sunday night collision happened along Massachusetts Avenue
ESCAMBIA, FL, (August 25, 2024) - A teenager from Pensacola was critically hurt in a hit-and-run incident on Sunday night, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.
Selvin Lopez-Ayala is suspected of DUI and hit-and-run after a collision Sunday night along Massachusetts Avenue in Escambia County.
The collision occurred just before 9:30 p.m. on Massachusetts Avenue near Ember Landing. It involved a pickup truck driven by a 21-year-old man and a sedan driven by a 19-year-old male, both from Pensacola. FHP said it was a head-on crash and the pickup driver fled the scene.
The injured teen was taken to an area hospital for treatment. The authorities later found the driver of the pickup truck close by.
According to FHP, Jose Selvin Lopez-Ayala was also seriously injured and his vehicle was located not far from where the accident took place. He was charged with DUI, hit-and-run, and driving without a license.
The accident remains under investigation by the state patrol.
DUI ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
This accident was preventable. Impaired drivers are a risk to everyone on the road, and can senselessly ruin people's lives.
"Drunken and drugged drivers are subject to criminal charges following an accident or collision that causes harm or kills another person,’’ explained Candice Bond, a Managing Partner at Bond Legal.
She added, “Separate from criminal charges, the family of a victim may be entitled to compensation through a civil lawsuit against the responsible party.”
According to the National Safety Council, the cause of 10 percent of all fatal automobile accidents is drivers operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other medications. These accidents are the second-leading cause of automobile fatalities in this country.
PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM
The injured victim may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim pending an investigation.
Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal, 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,” he 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 analysts Candice Bond and Stefano Formica for a free consultation for guidance
(Candice Bond, Managing Partner, and Stefano Formica, Of Counsel, at Bond Legal, are the national legal analysts for Newsline. 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).