July 13, 2016 | By Greene Broillet & Wheeler
A woman from Oceanside was arrested on charges of drunk driving after she fatally struck a pedestrian late last month. According to police, after hitting the pedestrian, the woman ran away from her car, leaving the deceased pedestrian in her windshield.
Police indicate that the woman was driving down Mission Avenue at approximately 6:20 a.m., on Monday, June 28. That’s when she lost control of her vehicle and struck a 69-year-old male pedestrian who had been walking on the sidewalk. The victim’s body entered the car through the windshield and landed partly on the passenger seat of the vehicle.
However, police say that the woman did not stop her car. She continued driving before eventually coming to a stop at Magdalena Drive, close to Avenida Del Gado. According to witnesses, the woman then fled the scene on foot. Police soon arrived and found the victim’s body. Paramedics later pronounced the man dead at the accident scene.
Authorities determined that the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the tragic collision. As of June 28, the woman was being held at the Las Colinas Detention Facility. She has been charged with felony hit and run, felony DUI, and vehicular manslaughter.
When a drunk driver causes the tragic death of another individual, the driver will be held accountable in criminal court for his or her actions and could spend many years behind bars. However, family members of the deceased victim in such cases may also have strong wrongful death claims that they could pursue against the drunk driver.