Amazingly, 47,000 people were injured in drunken driving crashes in 2012. As KVUE reports, the victims of these wrecks have lives drastically different from what they planned.
How Did a Drunken Driving Accident Change the Lives of Four High School Friends in Austin?
In late June, four Bowie High School friends were critically injured when a drunk driver slammed into the back of them. The girls were on their way to get ice cream when the accident occurred at the intersection of MoPac and Slaughter.
While stopped at the intersection, Erik Oosterbaan plowed into the back of the vehicle at 70 mph. Police say his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was more than three times the legal limit. He now faces three counts of aggravated assault and three counts of intoxication assault. The charges are respectively, second-degree and third-degree felonies.
The accident left all four girls with serious injuries. Unfortunately, for two of them, the recovery process will take a little longer. Rachel Crawford, the driver of the vehicle, has to learn how to walk again.
Her best friend, Madison Brandes, suffered the worst injuries with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that severely fractured her skull. She spent 10 days in a coma following the accident.
Currently, Madison has to relearn how to read. Although she does not remember what happened, she told KVUE that she also broke her forearm, clavicle and pelvis in four different places.
Rachel’s mother, Lori, said, “You spend all of your life waiting for that moment that they graduate from high school and get to go off on their own, and she didn’t get to because of someone’s selfish decision.”
Only one of the other girls has been able to start her career in college. The other three are unable to do so at this time because of their injuries.
Drunken driving is definitely a selfish decision, because it can change the lives of others forever.
If you have been the victim of a drunk driver, hire an experienced attorney to help get compensation for your injuries.
The Law Offices of Aaron Allison – Austin Personal Injury Attorney
Source: http://www.kvue.com/story/news/local/2014/09/25/dwicrashsurvivors/16227653/
