In the grand jury hearing in the Nick Adenhart car accident, there has been testimony from the medical examiner who clarified the confusion over the difference in the blood alcohol content levels mentioned in the driver’s toxicology report as well as testimony from the defendant’s step brother.

Earlier this month, we discussed the toxicology report that showed that Stewart was drunk at the time of the car accident. The driver of Adenhart’s car 20-year-old Courtney Stewart had a peripheral blood alcohol level of .06 and a chest cavity blood alcohol level of .16. The legally allowed limit for alcohol is .08 for adults. Persons below 21 years of age are not allowed to have any alcohol in their system while at the wheel. According to the examiner, the most reliable blood alcohol reading is the peripheral blood alcohol level. When a person drinks alcohol and dies soon after, the alcohol that is in the stomach and surrounding tissues begins to dissipate into the chest cavity. That results in a higher reading for blood alcohol in the chest cavity.

Stewart was the driver of the Mitsubishi that was carrying rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart, Jon Wilhite and Henry Pearson. The Mitsubishi was struck by a van driven by Andrew Thomas Gallo. Adenhart, Pearson, and Stewart were killed instantly and Gallo has been charged with their murders. He is alleged to have been driving under the influence of alcohol. Wilhite was seriously injured in the drunk driving accident and is now recovering. According to witnesses, Gallo ran a red light and struck a car that was carrying the three victims.

Deputy District Attorney Susan Price had announced at the time Stewart’s toxicology report was revealed that her blood alcohol content level was irrelevant to the case because it was Gallo who was at fault in the crash.

In related news, the Orange County Register, is also reporting that Gallo after the accident, ordered his injured stepbrother to flee the scene. The stepbrother Raymond Alexandro Rivera testified before the grand jury hearing. Upon being questioned during the proceedings, Rivera confirmed that Gallo had told him to run in the seconds after the crash. Rivera however, stayed on at the scene of the crash, while Gallo called someone on his cell phone and then ran from the scene. Several other witnesses have confirmed that they saw Gallo get out of the van and flee on foot.

Rivera also gave the grand jury a close account of the pair’s activities just before the accident. Apparently, they both had gone outside to celebrate Gallo’s new job, and downed a few drinks in the process. Police investigators have also testified that Gallo admitted he had several shots of sake. Rivera confirmed that he had been to dunk to drive and had told Gallo to drive instead because he had a “much higher tolerance to alcohol.” Soon after, Gallo ran a red light and crashed into Courtney Stewart’s car.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

A man suspected to have been driving under the influence of alcohol during a four vehicle accident that killed 3 people and injured five in Fresno last Wednesday, has been arrested.

According to news reports, Willie Rivera Jr. was driving against traffic with three cars, a Honda Civic and a Ford and a Daewoo approaching in the opposite direction. The resulting accident was almost inevitable. Rivera’s car hit the Ford, and then the Honda Civic. At the end of the collision, three passengers were dead and one motorist Sergio Barrier Jr., suffered major injuries. The dead included a 14-year-old girl, a 21-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man. The driver of the Ford, his passenger, and the driver of the third car received minor injuries. Rivera was also injured in the crash. He has now been arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter.

Driving against oncoming traffic puts a driver in a direct collision path with oncoming vehicles. Most of the time, car accidents involving motorists driving the wrong way can be traced to errors made by the motorist. A motorist may miss warning signs that alert drivers to the right route to enter a highway.

Car accidents resulting from wrong way driving are not as frequent as drunk driving or speeding-related accidents. But according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wrong way driving accidents kill as many as 300 people every year. Alcohol use is also a major factor in wrong way driving. A person driving under the influence of alcohol may suffer from impaired judgment. Drunk drivers are more likely to make the kind of dangerous errors that lead to them driving against the traffic on a crowded highway.

Although these kinds of car accidents are less frequent and result in fewer numbers of fatalities and injuries each year, they are much more likely to result in devastating car accidents. That’s because other motorists may not be able to stop their cars in time to avoid the wrong way driver. The increased number of fatalities and injuries are also due to the fact that these are head-on collisions, involving two or more automobiles at high speed. Because more than one vehicle may spot the wrong way driver and be forced to avoid them, these accidents usually end as multi-vehicle pileups, with possible multiple injuries and fatalities.

Persons injured in an auto accident caused by the wrong way driving of another motorist may also be liable for compensation from the motorist. Just like in other motor vehicle accidents caused by speeding or drunk drivers, wrong way drivers can be named in an injury or wrongful death claim. Besides, if the wrong way driving occurred because of the absence of signs alerting drivers, then state or local agencies responsible for the signage can also be named in any claim resulting from these injuries. California personal injury lawyers may be able to determine responsibility for the accident and file a claim.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

As part of our continued focus on the drunk driving accident in Fullerton in April, which killed Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, there is more news about the grand jury indictment of the driver, Andrew Thomas Gallo.

22-year-old Gallo was driving a minivan at around midnight on the 9th of April. He was on probation, and was driving on a suspended license. He was also, tragically for Adenhart and his two friends who died, also under the influence of alcohol. Gallo was driving at excessive speeds when he ran a red light and crashed into a Mitsubishi at an intersection. In the Mitsubishi were Adenhart, Courtney Stewart, Henry Pearson, and Jon Wilhite. Adenhart, Stewart, and Pearson were killed, while Jon Wilhite sustained critical injures.

After the car accident, Gallo didn’t stick around to survey the damage. He fled the scene, but was arrested about half an hour later by Anaheim police officers. Blood alcohol test results showed that he had a blood alcohol level of .19 percent. Last week, Gallo was indicted by the Orange County grand jury for felony hit and run, driving under the influence and injury and driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or more.

By the time of the accident, Gallo had already undergone an alcohol awareness program, which was a part of the sentence for a 2006 conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol. The court had ordered him to take an alcohol awareness program, and as part of the program, he had been informed of the dangers of drunk driving. He had also been warned that if he caused an accident because of his drunk driving behavior, it could cause fatal injuries to himself or others. What this means is that Gallo can be charged with second-degree murder, instead of vehicular manslaughter. Persons who cause a fatal DUI accident are generally charged with vehicular manslaughter. However, if the drunk driver had prior knowledge that there behavior could result in serious injuries to themselves or others, and they chooses to drive drunk anyway, then the person can be charged with second degree murder, instead of simply vehicular manslaughter.

Adenhart was a promising pitcher, and had an excellent game just hours before the accident. While a lot of attention since the accident has focused on young Adenhart, we must also remember that there were two other promising young lives that were lost that tragic night. Courtney Stewart was a former cheerleader at Cal State Fullerton. 25-year-old Henry Pearson was a law student who had been working towards becoming a sports agent. These young lives were lost because of Gallo’s recklessness, and his wanton disregard for the warning that drunk driving behavior could lead to someone’s death.

Neck Adenhart’s death at the hands of a drunk driver has received a lot of attention, but every year, thousands of motorists are killed in drunk driving accidents. For these families, life will never be the same. It will forever be altered by the actions of a drunk driver.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

A man accused of being drunk during an accident that killed a pedestrian on a crosswalk in Pacific Beach has had a trial date set for June 25th.

We had earlier reported on the death of the 24-year-old pedestrian Emily Dowdy in a crosswalk. A truck driven by 45-year-old Alan Lester Mabry struck Dowdy as it made a left turn. Dowdy suffered serious head injuries, and was pronounced brain dead a day later.

Last month, preliminary hearings were held at which several police officers testified that Mabry had admitted driving the truck and hitting someone. Soon after the pedestrian accident, Mabry got out of the vehicle and checked on the woman. He then calmly walked into a neighborhood fast food joint because, as he told officers, he got hungry when he was nervous. Mabry seems to have had a long standing problem with alcohol, as his friend who was in the pick up testified. His blood alcohol level at the time of the accident was .22 percent. That’s almost three times the legally allowed limit.

At the time of the pedestrian accident that killed Dowdy, Mabry had seven previous convictions for drunk driving. If found guilty of second-degree murder, he could spend up to 15 years behind bars. He also faces other charges including hit and run causing death, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing death and driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.

As a motorist with seven prior drunk driving convictions on his record, Mabry can do little to convince anyone that he was unaware of the dangers of drunk driving. Dowdy’s death at the hands of a driver with prior convictions exposes loopholes in the system. Someone like Mabry should never even have been behind the wheel of a car. We should be making it harder for drivers who have been convicted of drunk driving offences to get back their driving privileges. It makes little sense that Mabry had seven previous convictions, and was still free to drive around posing a danger to other motorists and pedestrians.

A new piece of legislation that’s been introduced in the assembly could change all that. The bill will require first time drunk driving offenders to have an ignition interlock system installed in their cars. The device works by detecting alcohol on a motorist’s breath, and preventing them from operating the vehicle. The legislation has its critics who insist that the measure is too expensive, and would infringe on a person’s ability to get to important places or deal with emergencies. However as California Personal Injury Lawyers we believe that given the problem of repeat drunk driving in the state, a law like this could prove an effective and practical deterrent to such drivers.

It’s becoming clear that license suspensions alone do not a sober driver make. Tougher measures are necessary to prevent first time offenders from getting behind the wheel of the car intoxicated, and causing serious accidents again.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

A 33-year-old Sacramento woman who has been charged in a fatal alcohol-related car accident, in which a motorcyclist was killed, had three prior DUI convictions on her record.

Rebecca Vela was booked into Sacramento County Main Jail. She has been charged with murder, hit and run and driving under the influence. On Saturday, Vela was driving her Acura TL at a high speed and rear-ended a motorcycle. The motorcycle rider Stanley Franklin Spaeth Jr. was thrown off his motorcycle. He died instantly. When officers arrived at the crash scene, they found Vela trying to flee the scene. She was first booked on suspension of drunk driving and murder, but hit and run charges were added later.

Spaeth has been described as a hard working man who worked day and night as a security guard to save money for his 19-year-old daughter’s college education. According to officers at the scene of the accident, the 54-year-old victim simply had no time to avoid Vela or save himself. After the drunk motorist was arrested, it was found that she had at least three previous drunk driving convictions. The news has shocked Spaeth’s family who are refusing to call his death an accident. Instead, they term it murder.

With three previous DUI convictions on her record, there is no way that Vela can convince anyone she wasn’t aware of the possible consequences of driving while intoxicated.

Drunk driving accident statistics tell us that it’s repeat offenders who are most likely to cause a serious or fatal accident. Current drunk driving laws in California are tough, but they just don’t seem to be tough enough to deter thousands of drunk drivers from committing the same offense again. These repeat offenders tend to be the most reckless. It’s the reason why a new piece of legislation has been introduced in the California assembly. Bill 91 is sponsored by Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) and would require first time drunk drivers to get a breathalyzer device in their car. The device detects alcohol on the motorist’s breath and prevents him or her from being able to start the car.

It’s a concept that is being considered in other states as well, and in California, Mothers Against Drunk Driving is supporting the bill. “The Ignition interlock” program works in a simple way to prevent a driver from driving if the breathalyzer device detects alcohol. According to Feuer, bill 91 could potentially save several lives. Critics of the program have said that the ignition interlock program simply causes a financial strain on persons charged with their first drunk driving offence because it costs hundreds of dollars to install. They also insist that refraining from drinking before driving should be a personal choice, and more efforts should be made to educate drivers about the dangers of drunk driving. As Orange County car accident lawyers who frequently represent victims of drunk driving accidents, we know that dealing with this menace requires a multi pronged effort, with this device just one part of it.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

A 31-year-old bartender who was driving a car that crashed into a tree killing her boyfriend, an off duty employee of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, is looking at a possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

Jessica Marie Cuevas is charged with 2nd degree murder in the death of Fallbrook resident, Jason Clay Peters. The accident occurred last May. Cuevas who was driving at 55mph lost control of her car. The car hit a roadside electrical box, veered off the road and crashed into a tree. Peter was in the passenger seat. Both of them had been drunk before the accident. Blood alcohol tests showed that Cuevas had a level of .16 while Peter’s level was .17. Opening statements in the trial have been made. The deputy district attorney says that Cuevas should have been well versed with the dangers of drunk driving, because of her job as a bartender.

On the day of the accident, Cuevas apparently wrapped up work at the Bikini Beach Club in Lake Elsinore at about 1 am. Soon after, they continued to drink alcohol at their motel room. By this time, Cuevas was well and truly drunk, a fact that a bar tender who did not serve her because of her condition, verifies. Her condition was concerning enough for a security guard to follow the two out to ensure that Cuevas didn’t get behind the wheel. These people are likely to be brought up as witnesses for the prosecution to testify about the events of the evening. Cuevas’ lawyer is looking to prove that Peter had a part to play in the accident too.

The case involves plenty of romance, intrigue and alcohol, with sordid details of the duo’s relationship sure to be brought out in court. However, what lies at the crux of the matter is Cuevas’ intoxicated driving. This was a woman whose profession involved serving alcoholic beverages to customers. As part of her daily job, she watched patrons have one drink too many, and pass out on the bar counters. She has seen customers so intoxicated they had to be dragged out by bar security. She had to have known that too many drinks could leave a person incapable of holding their own glass steadily, let alone gripping a steering wheel. In spite of this knowledge, Cuevas chose to get behind the wheel of the car, and drive off intoxicated any way. It’s easy to get distracted by the fact that Peters was drunk too, except for one simple point - he wasn’t the one driving.

A motorist with a blood alcohol level of .08 is considered to be legally intoxicated, a fact that Cuevas was no doubt aware of. When people who work in professions linked to the alcohol industry show such little regard for drunk driving laws, we wonder what you can expect from the general population.

In spite of strong laws against drunk driving in California, thousands of motorist every year think little of getting behind the wheel in an inebriated state. For many of these people, their actions result in serious accidents, bringing home to them the dangers of drunk driving.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The San Gabriel drunk driver involved in the accident that killed Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others is due to be arraigned on June 8th.

Andrew Thomas Gallo is charged with three counts of murder, and is accused of driving with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit at the time of the accident. The accident last Thursday killed Nick Adenhart, the driver of the car Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearless. The fourth occupant of the Mitsubishi Jon Wilhite, who was the only survivor of the accident, continues to be treated at UC Irvine Medical Center, and his condition is now said to be serious.

Gallo is charged with DUI causing injury, driving with a blood alcohol level of .08% or higher causing injury and fleeing from the scene of an accident involving death or permanent injury. If convicted, Gallo could face up to 54 years and 8 months in prison. Gallo broke down in court as he came face to face with the families of the victims of the accident, including the mother of Courtney Stewart. His lawyer spoke of Gallo’s remorse over his actions. However, Stewart’s mother was not impressed. She insisted that what happened to her daughter was not an accident, but murder.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno will lead a group of 8 Angels team members to Maryland where they will participate in a private funeral service for Nick Adenhart. Included in the group will be the manager of the team, Mike Scioscia, coach Mick Butcher along with other executives and a few players. The funeral service will take place later this week. Adenhart, if he had lived, would have pitched on Tuesday in the game against the Mariners. His gray number 34 jersey adorns his locker in the clubhouse and his team mates plan to keep the locker intact all through the baseball season.

In the midst of all the attention surrounding Adenhart’s death, it’s important to also reflect on his two friends who died in the tragedy, and the other who continues to fight for his life in the hospital. Jon Willhite, who sustained critical injuries in the crash, continues to be in a serious condition, and his family has set up a fund to help with his medical expenses. He was with a group of friends at the stadium to watch the game against the Oakland A’s in which Adenhart played a spectacular inning.

Meanwhile, Courtney’s Stewart’s friends have asked for donations to be made in her name to the “Be Perfect” foundation. The members of her CSUF cheerleading team are arranging a walkathon in her honor in Huntington Beach on the 9th of May. Those who wish to support them can make donations in Courtney Stewart’s name.

Slowly, these families and friends are coming to terms with the depth of their loss in this drunk driving accident.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Petaluma Police Department is moving towards breaking the 2007 record for drunk driving arrests. The number of arrests has increased by 45% in 2009.

The number this year is set to exceed 700 drunk driving arrests which is considerably more than the 603 arrests in 2007. The latest drunk driving enforcement on Friday night saw officers targeting drunk drivers, including repeat offenders, and persons with warrants for drunk driving. The enforcement resulted in 7 people arrested for drunk driving, and at least 6 people arrested for outstanding warrants for DUI. Of the drivers who were arrested for DUI, at least 5 were repeat offenders and 3 were on probation for drunk driving at the time of the arrest. At least one driver was driving on a suspended license for a prior DUI.

According to the police department, the traffic unit has a database of DUI arrests of those who have had multiple DUI convictions on their record and the highest blood alcohol levels. These persons are screened based on the kind of risk they pose for drunk driving accidents. Those who are seen as having the highest risk of an accident are then included in the Habitual DUI Driver Stakeout Program. Stakeout programs involve surveillance of repeat offenders to ensure that they don’t find themselves behind the wheel of a car drunk again.

Even with these enforcement efforts and the police department’s laudable job arresting large number of drunk drivers, the problem continues to be a significant one in Petaluma. In fact, DUI is one of the top 5 causal factors for accidents in the city. However, that is not to say that the DUI enforcement by the Petaluma Department has not shown results. The number of alcohol-related accidents in the city is decreasing slowly, but steadily. In 2008, the number of drunk driving accidents that resulted in injuries and fatalities was down by more than 45%.

Law enforcement operations have a big role to play in the war against drunk driving. Such operations can not only keep the number of drunk drivers on the road down, but can also keep habitual DUI offenders, who are at a greater risk for drunk driving accidents, off the streets. Serial offenders, who have more than one DUI conviction to their credit, are more likely to be involved in a crash that places not just themselves, but other motorists at risk of an accident. The greater the number of drunk drivers arrested and off the streets, the safer the general motoring public.

However, law enforcement officers can only do so much to control the menace. The larger community must also play their part to curb intoxicated driving. For instance, high schools can do their part to bring the anti-drunk driving message home to teenagers who happen to be the most at risk for drunk driving. Education programs can catch these teens young and ensure the creation of responsible and mature drivers who are aware of their rights and duties on the road.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

A Garden Grove resident who had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit during a drunk driving accident that killed a motorcyclist was convicted today.

In 2007, Hugo Israel Lopez was driving his Cadillac Escalade, when two vehicles tried to get out of the errant driver’s way. One of those vehicles struck a motorcycle driven by Yorba Linda resident Graham Green. He died the following day. Last Wednesday, a jury found Lopez guilty of felony vehicular manslaughter, and felony hit and run causing death. Lopez is due to be sentenced on the 29th of May, and could face up to 9 years in prison.

At the time of the accident, Lopez’s blood alcohol level was .21, almost three times the legal limit of .08. Lopez has spent his time during the trial out on bail, and asked to remain free until the sentencing. His attorney argued that he has been sober since the crash, and has attended Alcoholic’s Anonymous meetings. However, Lopez was considered a flight risk, and was taken into custody.

Every year, thousands of people are killed in accidents related to alcohol use. According to Alcohol Alert, 41,059 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2007, and of those, approximately 12,998 were deaths related to drunk driving accidents in which the intoxicated motorist had a blood alcohol level greater than .08. Someone somewhere in the US is killed by an intoxicated driver every 40 minutes.

While law enforcement agencies, safety groups, and governments have declared a war on drunk driving, the problem continues to persist. Organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have taken up the cause of preventing people from getting behind the wheel in an intoxicated state, and these efforts have received widespread support. Law enforcement agencies frequently conduct awareness programs targeted at the general motorist population, as well as special groups like teen drivers, who are at an especially high-risk for drunk driving. These education programs include setting up mock drunk driving crash scenes to bring home to teenagers the destructive effect of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The number of drunk drivers peaks during holidays like the Fourth of July or Thanksgiving. These holidays see stringent crackdowns by law enforcement officers who attempt to keep drunk motorists off the streets. In spite of all these efforts, the problem of drunk driving continues to claim lives, and cause injuries every day.

It takes just one intoxicated motorist to ruin a life, and shatter a family. That’s why even one intoxicated motorist on the road is one motorist too many. These drivers are greatly at risk for causing injuries to themselves and to others sharing the road with them.

Persons injured in a drunk driving accident may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the motorist. Damages can include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, as well as the pain and suffering of the victim. In case of death, the family of the deceased may bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

In a shocking tragedy, Los Angeles Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in an alcohol-related car accident in Fullerton yesterday. Two other occupants of the car Adenhart was traveling in were also killed, while a fourth person sustained critical injuries.

According to news reports, Adenhart, former cheerleader Courtney Stewart, law student Henry Pearson and baseball player John Wilhite were in a red Mitsubishi car driven by Stewart. They were on their way to a popular night club just hours after Adenhart made his major league baseball season debut. According to police reports, a minivan driven by Riverside resident Andrew Thomas Gallo ran a red light at an intersection, and struck the Mitsubishi. The impact sent the Mitsubishi crashing into a utility pole. Adenhart was rushed to the University of California-Irvine Medical Center where he died after undergoing surgery.

Gallo tried to flee the scene of the accident on foot, but was apprehended and arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, hit and run and drunk driving. He apparently was driving on a suspended license due to a prior drunk driving conviction. Blood alcohol tests conducted have revealed that his levels are above the legal limit.

Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearson also died at the scene of the accident. Wilhite was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. Police believe that Gallo was driving at about 50 to 60mph in a zone with a speed limit of 45 to 50. Gallo also suffered minor injuries, while a passenger in his van was also hospitalized. Investigators have indicated that there may be homicide charges filed against Gallo. According to court records from both Riverside and Orange County, an Andrew Gallo has had past convictions for a number of charges including burglary, and driving without a valid license.

Meanwhile, Angels fans and the extended baseball community were mourning the untimely death of a rising star. A makeshift shrine has been growing outside Angel Stadium where fans have been leaving flowers and cards, and lighting candles. Just a few hours before the crash, Adenhart had played an extraordinary game in which he threw 6 scoreless innings. According to his agent, the 22-year-old pitcher had been thrilled with his performance in the game against the Oakland A’s.

Adenhart was a star baseball player in high school. His career had faltered in the past owing to an arm injury, but Wednesday’s game was the finest moment in his baseball career. He was a player with much promise and was just beginning to make good on his potential.

A person who decides to drive when he or she is intoxicated and in no condition to be behind the wheel doesn’t differentiate between a celebrity athlete and the average Joe. Every year, thousands of lives are lost and families shattered in alcohol-related accidents, and for the families of those who die like Adenhart, there are no answers as to why this happened.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.