Colo trooper free on bail after suspected DUI – Yahoo! News
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. – A Colorado state trooper who was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving while on duty is free on $1,000 bail.
Forty-eight-year-old David Dolan was arrested outside Denver while in uniform and driving a marked Colorado State Patrol car Monday. Authorities say several people called 911 to report the car was being driven erratically.
A woman who answered his home phone hung up without commenting Tuesday. It’s not clear whether he has an attorney.
Dolan faces charges of driving under the influence and prohibited use of weapons. Colorado law makes it illegal for anyone to have a firearm while intoxicated. He is due in court Monday to discuss his bail.
Dolan is on unpaid leave. The patrol has launched an internal investigation.
The statistics are shocking: Every 30 minutes in the U.S., a drunk-driving-related death occurs, and every two minutes, a drunk driver injures someone.
Here is some additional information that offers more insight into the connection between drunk drivers and personal injury, and wrongful death:
•About 40 percent of all automobile accident deaths in the U.S. are related to the use of alcohol.
•Drunk drivers cause the most criminal deaths in America, ahead of any other type of violence.
•Drunk-driving accidents injure at least 17,000 people every year.
Drunk-Driving Accidents: Who Can Be Held Responsible?
Like all automobile accidents, what is applicable in one drunk-driving accident may not be relevant in another. However, in general, there are three parties that could potentially be held liable:
1. The driver. When drunk drivers are found guilty in a criminal case, the odds of winning a personal injury civil lawsuit against them are greater. And in a civil case, there may be an opportunity to award the victim punitive damages (damages that are intended to punish the drunk driver and to deter).
2. The tavern keeper who sold alcohol to the drunk driver. When a tavern keeper sells alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person who consumes it and then injures someone while driving intoxicated, there can be a level of accountability there, as well, and the opportunity to sue for damages.
3. The driver’s employer. If the drunk driver drank while on the job and then got behind the wheel, or was working while driving, the employer may be held responsible, as well.
Drunk-Driving Accidents and Victim Compensation
In addition to punitive damages, drunk-driving accident victims who pursue personal injury lawsuits may be able to receive compensation for:
•Current and future medical expenses
•Physical therapy and other types of rehabilitation expenses
•Current and future loss of income
•Psychological counseling
•Physical and emotional suffering
•Loss of companionship
Enlisting the Help of an Attorney
The laws surrounding drunk-driving accidents are complex. An experienced drunk-driving accident lawyer can help you sort through your options, conduct complete investigations, speak on your behalf with insurance companies and make sure you are in the best position to get the full amount of compensation you deserve.
If you or someone you love has been injured by a drunk driver, and you live in the Phoenix, Arizona area, please visit the website of drunk-driving accident attorney Jerrold Mayro. Mr. Mayro’s office is located at 2415 E. Camelback Road, Suite 700, Phoenix, AZ 85016.
About The Author
If you or someone you love has been injured by a drunk driver, and you live in the Phoenix, Arizona area, please visit the website of drunk-driving accident attorney Jerrold Mayro. Mr. Mayro’s office is located at 2415 E. Camelback Road, Suite 700, Phoenix, AZ 85016.