A car accident near Lodi, California involving a suspected drunk driver proved fatal for 19-year-old Destanee Arlene Little, officials said. The News-Sentinel reports that two others -- 20-year-old David Heredia and Chaunnel Renberg, 20 – were also injured in the collision that occurred the night of June 12, 2010 near the intersection of West Lane and Armstrong Road.

Officials say Little was traveling south on West Lane in her Oldsmobile Cutlass when a 2008 Honda Accord driven by 29-year-old Benjamin Serratos III rear-ended the Oldsmobile. Little lost control of the car and crashed into a traffic light. Serratos faces possible murder charges because of prior DUI convictions as well as felony DUI charges and driving on a suspended license.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Destanee Arlene Little for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. I also hope and pray that the two other victims recover completely from the injuries they sustained in this DUI collision.

Vehicular Manslaughter

Driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher is a serious crime under California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a). A driver whose act of driving under the influence results in the death of another will likely face vehicular manslaughter charges. California Penal Code section 191.5 (a) states: "Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, in the driving of a vehicle, where the driving was in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, and the killing was either the proximate result of the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, and with gross negligence, or the proximate result of the commission of a lawful act that might produce death, in an unlawful manner, and with gross negligence."

Claim for Compensation

Injured victims or their families would be well-advised to consult an experienced California personal injury lawyer who will hold the wrongdoers accountable. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will also advise victims and their families about how their car insurance policy might apply to an incident where the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured. For more information about the dangers of drunk driving, please visit Mothers Against Drunk Driving's website at www.madd.org.

What more do you think law enforcement can or should do to keep repeat DUI offenders off the road?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.