Felony Charges Filed Against Drunken Driver
Several charges of criminal vehicular homicide have been filed against a 25-year-old Winona man who had been drinking before hitting a mini-van in Olmsted County, killing the van’s driver and three passengers.
It was the worst of at least nine fatal accidents that occurred in Minnesota over Memorial Day weekend. Together, 12 people died.
The driver who was charged in the Minnesota quadruple fatal accident was Christopher Frisch, whom the State Patrol said was intoxicated. Frisch told investigators he had been drinking and fell asleep behind the wheel before broadsiding the mini-van at the intersection of state highways 30 and 63. The crash killed Terry Milholland, 45, of Beecher, Ill.; his 5-week-old son, Raymond Milholland; Heidi Newell, 19, and Jarah Beers, 23, both of Rochester.
When someone dies in a Minnesota car wreck caused by the negligence of another, the spouse and next of kin can recover monetary damages under the state’s wrongful death law. And when someone dies in a drunk driver accident in Minnesota, the spouse and next of kin may have a claim for punitive damages.
The Minnesota fatal car accident lawyers at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys have years of experience representing victims and survivors of serious motor vehicle crashes. When alcohol is involved in a crash, the firm investigates for possible dram shop claims against bars and other retailers who may have supplied alcohol to the drunken driver. Our lawyers know how to fight for fair compensation from all responsible parties, including money to cover a client’s pain and suffering. Over the years, Pritzker Olsen has collected tens of millions of dollars for crash victims and their next of kin.
According to a press release from the State Patrol, the four-day Memorial Day weekend was extremely busy for law enforcement personnel. Of the 12 people who died in crashes on public roads, 10 of the deaths were handled by state troopers.
The patrol said it responded to a total of 56 personal injury crashes, 212 property damage crashes and 497 driving complaints. Sixty-three individuals were arrested for driving while intoxicated and 11 were arrested on various narcotics charges, the press release said.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said it was the deadliest Memorial Day weekend for motor vehicle accidents since 1996, when 13 people died. Two of the people who died this year were female passengers on motorcycles.
For more information about Pritzker Olsen, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or write to us online for a free case consultation.
Drunk Driving Death Threat Rises March 17
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety has announced its plan for extra DWI patrols on St. Patrick’s Day to reduce the threat of drunk driving death and injury.
Statewide on St. Patrick’s Day, alcohol-related crashes accounted for seven of 12 traffic deaths and another 13 serious injuries from 2005-2007, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Each year in Minnesota, alcohol-related crashes account for around 200 deaths and 3,000 serious injuries, statistics show.
Minnesota car accident lawyers at PritzkerOlsen Attorneys represent injured victims of these senseless accidents, always investigating for dram shop liability. Our lawyers can help you determine if a dram shop violation played a role in your accident in time to take action under the statute of limitations.
PritzkerOlsen is a premier Minnesota law firm. The firm has recovered numerous settlements and verdicts in excess of $1,000,000.
Lt. Matt Langer of the State Patrol said in a press release about DWI enforcement on St. Patrick’s Day that “there is a history of partying on St. Patrick’s Day, but not a history of planning for a sober driver.”
He said the extra DWI patrols will be deployed in the following counties, which usually account for more than half of the state’s alcohol-related crashes causing death and injury: Anoka, Blue Earth, Crow Wing, Dakota, Hennepin, Itasca, Ramsey, Rice, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright.
Special DWI Enforcement Plan
The Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety will fund special DWI enforcement efforts in five counties this year as part of a heightened enforcement effort to curtail drunken driving in counties with a history of alcohol-related crashes.
The five counties are Ramsey, Rice, St. Louis, Sherburne and Stearns.
According to the Winter 2009 newsletter of the Office of Traffic Safety, law enforcement officers will target various traffic corridors and mark them with illuminated “DWI Arrest Zone” signs. The officers also will patrol other roads in search of motorists who attempt to circumnavigate the high-visibility DWI enforcement areas.
As car accident lawyers who represent injury victims of alcohol-related crashes, the firm of PritzkerOlsen Attorneys applauds the measure. In 2008, a series of special DWI enforcement efforts resulted in 52,833 vehicle stops resulting in more than 3,000 DWI arrests — one arrest per 17 traffic stops.
Under Minnesota Statute, Section 169A, it is a violation of Minnesota law to drive with an alcohol concentration of .08 or more. If someone violates this law, it is prima facie evidence of negligence in a civil case (Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.96 (2006).
In a civil action against a drunk driver, the injured party can ask for punitive damages, which, depending on the circumstances, can be significant. For example, PritzkerOlsen won $6,000,000 on behalf of a 26 year-old female passenger whose right leg was traumatically amputated when the motorcycle on which she was a passenger was struck by a drunk driver.
Special DWI enforcement initiatives can help reduce the chances of such accidents ever happening.
According to the Office of Traffic Safety, the state’s 13 deadliest counties for impaired driving are Anoka, Blue Earth, Crow Wing, Dakota, Hennepin, Itasca, Ramsey, Rice, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright. The 13 counties accounted for nearly half of the state’s alcohol-related deaths (272) and serious injuries (663) during 2005-2007.
St. Patrick’s Day Threat to Road Safety
Each year in Minnesota, alcohol-related crashes account for around 200 deaths and 3,000 serious injuries.
In law enforcement circles, St. Patrick’s Day has its own set of statistics that a good car accident lawyer knows from experience.
Statewide on St. Patrick’s Day, alcohol-related car accidents accounted for seven of 13 traffic deaths over the three most recent years for which statistics are available: 2005-2007.
During that same period, 1,575 impaired drivers were arrested for DWI.
With that in mind, State Troopers, city police departments and sheriff’s deputies are encouraging St. Patrick’ Day pub-goers and partiers to plan ahead for a sober ride home.
Officers in many municipalities and counties across the state will increase patrols in search of unlucky leprechauns who choose to drink and drive on St. Patrick’s Day.
Under Minnesota Statute, Section 169A, it is a violation of Minnesota law to drive with an alcohol concentration of .08 or more. If someone violates this law, it is prima facie evidence of negligence in a civil case (Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.96 (2006). In a civil action against a drunk driver, the injured party can ask for punitive damages, which, depending on the circumstances, can be significant.
The car accident lawyers at PritzkerOlsen Attorneys are deeply experienced in representing car accident victims and their survivors. Very often, our investigators find a dram shop claim is part of an auto accident case. When a dram shop claim is part of a fatal car accident case, our lawyers know how to fight for fair compensation.
