Suspected DUI Crash into Redlands Home Sends Two to Hospital
Two people were sent to the hospital as a result of a car that crashed through fences and the kitchen and dining room of a home in Redlands on May 8. Deeming the home unsafe to occupy in the wake of the accident, California authorities red-tagged it.
The Redlands Police Department arrested the driver, Jason Robert Sheridan, 27, on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).
Redlands home will have to be rebuilt after crash
An occupant in the home, a 60-year-old woman, suffered facial lacerations and was sent to an area hospital. So was a passenger in Sheridan’s vehicle, a Dodge Challenger. Both the 55-year-old brother and 87-year-old mother of the injured woman were also in the home during the crash, but escaped injury.
The man, Lee Hernandez, was in tears after the accident. His parents purchased the house in 1950 and he grew up in it along with 4 sisters. He plans to rebuild it.
Hernandez indicated that he hears racing up and down streets around the home, which is near Clay Street and Brockton Avenue, and heard “tires screeching and metal crunching” right before the car hit his home, according to NBC News. “The crunch kept going, it was unbelievable.”
Although the Challenger hit at least one fence before ramming into Hernandez’s home, police said there was no evidence to indicate that Sheridan was racing or even driving at high speeds.
The property was littered with debris after the accident.
Liability in the case of a DUI
California law on DUIs is very strict. A driver who caused an accident due to a DUI can be given a jail sentence of up to 6 months and be fined up to $1,000 if it is a first offense. The arrest stays on the driver’s record for 10 years.
The penalties climb steeply after the first offense.
Drivers arrested for a DUI in California can also be prosecuted for ordinary negligence or gross negligence. Ordinary negligence means the person did not act with proper care, and gross negligence is acting with extreme disregard for the safety of others.
Call The Experienced Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by a driver under the influence, you may be entitled to monetary compensation to help you with expenses, including those related to property damage, medical care, loss of income, and even funeral costs with the help of a personal injury attorney.
The Ellis Law Firm has decades of experience successfully litigating DUI cases in southern California. Call a personal injury lawyer today at 310-641-3335 for a free consultation at no cost to you. Let us help you use the laws to get what you deserve.
Additional Resources:
- Guinyard, Toni and Jonathan Lloyd. “’This is Stupid’: Driver Arrested on Suspicion of DUI After Crashing Dodge Challenger into House.” NBC Los Angeles. May 9, 2018. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Up-to-3-Taken-to-Hospital-After-Car-Crashes-Into-Redlands-Home-482164651.html
- Valenzuela, Beatriz E. “Suspected drunken driver plows through Redlands house, injuring woman inside.” The Press-Enterprise. May 9, 2018. https://www.pe.com/2018/05/09/suspected-drunken-driver-plows-through-redlands-house-injuring-woman-inside/