People take a risk if they drive under the influence. They put not only their own safety in jeopardy, but that of their own passengers and other motorists who happen to get in the way.
After a crash that recently injured several people, including children, a Knoxville woman will be facing charges of driving under the influence, vehicular assault, child restraint an improper passing, according to media reports. The car accident happened on State Highway 33 in Maynardville in Union County recently.
The woman was headed south on the highway in her 2002 Ford Explorer. Her three children, including 5-year-old twins, were in the car, and while they were wearing seatbelts they apparently were not in appropriate car seats.
The woman apparently attempted to pass another vehicle and crossed into the northbound lane. But she lost control of her vehicle, veered onto the shoulder and then into oncoming traffic. She collided head-on with a Lincoln Navigator driven by a 52-year-old man.
The SUV rolled over, injuring the woman and her children. All of the children were taken a hospital. One of them had been trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated. The other driver wasn’t hurt, but his 51-year-old passenger reportedly sustained injuries.
The accident shut down the highway for a time.
In addition to the DUI and related charges, the 25-year-old woman is facing charges of driving with a suspended license and driving without insurance.
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, “Driver in Maynardville crash facing DUI charge,” Jennifer Brake, July 5, 2012