An Orange County car accident caused by a suspected drunk driver sent 10 people to the hospital with injuries, according to The Orange County Register. The injury crash occurred the evening of January 14, 2010 at the intersection of Lewis Street and Metropolitan Drive in Orange. The collision happened when a minivan traveling north on Lewis slammed into a blue Honda Civic going east on Metropolitan and then collided with an OCTA bus with 15 passengers in it.

DUI Crash Causes Injuries

Orange police officials said three passengers on the OCTA bus sustained injuries as did seven people in the van and the Honda Civic. All the injured victims were taken to area hospitals. No one suffered critical or life-threatening injuries. Police arrested the driver of the minivan – 21-year-old Yonic Serafin Cardenas Patino – on suspicion of felony driving under the influence. He was also apparently driving on a suspended license and has previously been convicted of DUI and hit-and-run.

I hope and pray that the victims of this drunk driving accident, make a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your prayers.

Drunk Driving Statistics and Laws

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were eight fatalities and 94 injuries involving alcohol-related car accidents in Orange, California. Countywide, 75 people died and 1,501 were injured as a result of DUI car accidents during the same year.

It is a serious crime in California to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher. It is also illegal to drive under the influence of drugs – recreational or prescription. California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) states: "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle."

Contacting An Experienced Injury Lawyer

In such cases, injured victims could benefit from a consultation with a reputed Orange County personal injury lawyer, who has experience and an excellent track record of holding negligent and drunk drivers accountable. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will also advise victims about how their car insurance policy applies to a case where an uninsured or underinsured motorist is involved.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.