DUI suspected in Sunday collision at State and Mendon roads
VAN WERT, OH, (December 08, 2024) - Chloe J. Morefield, a 20-year-old resident of Van Wert, sustained serious injuries in a crash on Sunday afternoon at the intersection of State Road and Mendon Road.
Chloe Morefield was injured in a crash in Van Wert County after another vehicle failed to yield at a stop sign. The Ohio State Highway Patrol suspects that drug impairment as a factor.
Morefield was a passenger in a 2014 Chrysler 200 driven by a 20-year-old woman from Van Wert, who failed to yield at a stop sign and was struck by another vehicle.
Morefield was transported by Lutheran Air Med Flight to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne for treatment of her serious injuries. The driver of the Chrysler and another passenger, both from Van Wert, were also injured and taken to different hospitals. The driver of the other vehicle, a 19-year-old woman from Van Wert, and her 36-year-old female passenger were also injured and transported to a nearby hospital.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol suspects drug impairment as a factor in the crash. The accident remains under investigation.
DUI ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
This accident was preventable. Impaired drivers are a risk to everyone on the road, and can senselessly ruin people's lives.
"Drunken and drugged drivers are subject to criminal charges following an accident or collision that causes harm or kills another person,’’ explained Candice Bond, a Managing Partner at Bond Legal.
She added, “Separate from criminal charges, the family of a victim may be entitled to compensation through a civil lawsuit against the responsible party.”
According to the National Safety Council, the cause of 10 percent of all fatal automobile accidents is drivers operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other medications. These accidents are the second-leading cause of automobile fatalities in this country.
PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM
Aireyona Thornsberry may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim pending an investigation.
Bond said, “Injured victims involved in a collision often seek a personal injury claim to cover the cost of medical bills, future medical care, loss of income, emotional trauma, and pain and suffering.
"Insurance companies can be notoriously unconcerned with the mounting costs that an injured party may accrue. An attorney can help. We protect the victims of these tragedies daily, forcing the insurance companies to pay for their mistakes,” she added.
Newsline's national legal analyst Candice Bond is experienced in serious injury auto accidents, and if you or a family member need help she's available for a free consultation to guide you
(Candice Bond, our national legal analyst, is a Managing Partner at Bond Legal. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-985-6515 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).