A DUI related crash in San Diego has left three killed and five injured. 25-year-old William Cady was driving five passengers in a 2000 Cadillac Escalade around 11:15 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle. He was heading North from Interstate 805 onto the Westbound Route 52 ramp when he swerved off the road and rolled several times over the dirt embankment. The car then hit a pillar and tumbled back into traffic causing an oncoming Acura to crash into the Escalade and another car coming from behind to hit the Acura. Shockingly, the Escalade still managed to roll across both the westbound and eastbound lanes of the highway and landed in an eastbound side ditch as its final resting point. Cady and his four passengers were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident and were ejected from the SUV, resulting in the death of three passengers who were 23, 29, and 35 years of age. CHP officers arrested Cady on suspicion of drunk driving at the scene though he was sent directly to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla to be treated for his injuries. The one surviving passenger from the SUV, of 25 years of age, was rushed to Sharp Memorial Hospital. Two of the motorists from the other vehicles involved in the accident were also hospitalized with minor injuries. Names of the victims have yet to be released due to pending notification from family members. CHP Officer Art Platero said that witnesses of the accident noticed that the Escalade had been moving at a noticeably high speed immediately prior to the crash. At this point in time, the multitude of possible charges Cady is facing makes retaining an experienced criminal defense attorney crucial to the handling and outcome of his case. If convicted of DUI manslaughter, Cady will face very serious criminal charges as punishment for his negligent decisions.
Sources:
“3 Killed, 5 Hurt in DUI Crash” – CBS 8 News, January 12th, 2014
“CHP: DUI Caused Triple Fatal”– UT San Diego, January 12th, 2014