For parents, there may be few things more terrifying than learning that a child was involved in an accident. This was the reality for at least one set of West Virginia parents after an alleged drunk driver struck a school bus. While only one student was on the bus at the time of the accident, injuries related to drunk driving accidents can be severe and may even take several days for symptoms to fully emerge.
According to police, the driver of a pickup truck was under the influence of alcohol when he rear-ended another vehicle. The force of the collision caused that car to hit another vehicle, which then struck the bus from behind. He initially fled the scene of the accident, but stopped at a car rental store nearby. Police found him hiding in the restroom at the store.
Testing showed that he had a blood-alcohol content of .217, which is significantly higher than the legal limit. It does not appear that he was injured, but the driver of the first vehicle that was struck had to be transported to the hospital. The alleged drunk driver’s passenger was also hurt, although it is not clear if she required treatment at a hospital.
The driver who apparently caused the wreck is currently behind bars, and a judge set his bail at $10,000. When a drunk driver causes serious injury, victims may have to deal with significant injuries that can cause a lifetime of medical and financial problems. This is why many West Virginia victims choose to pursue compensation through personal injury claims which can help them address the physical, emotional and financial damages associated with these types of accidents.