On Monday, December 28th, a young girl was found unresponsive in the backseat of a car in Santa Rosa, California. She unfortunately died at the scene. After investigation, police suspected that the driver of the vehicle had been driving drunk and had tried to flee the scene of the crash.
The discovery was made by officers investigating reports of a hit-and-run around Piner Road and Bay Village that afternoon. When authorities searched the surrounding area, they located the suspect’s vehicle somewhere down the road from the collision. The suspect turned out to be a 16-year-old girl from Santa Rosa. Reportedly, she exhibited signs of being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Upon further inspection, officers noticed a young female passenger who appeared to be passed out in the backseat. They attempted to communicate with her, but she remained unresponsive throughout the exchange. Sadly, emergency medical personnel were unable to revive the girl, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the victim as a 14-year-old girl from Guerneville, but her name remained undisclosed. Santa Rosa Police released a statement the following day informing that there were no signs of trauma to the victim.
The DUI suspect sustained minor injuries from the crash. Emergency personnel transported her to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Once treated, she was later arrested on suspicion of DUI.
The investigation surrounding the circumstances of the incident is still ongoing. The department’s Violent Crimes Team sent detectives to look into the case. So far, no further details have been released to the public.
Underage Drinking and Driving
Although the legal age for alcohol consumption is 21, this does not completely dissuade people under the age from drinking. Nor does it completely stop them from getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. Tragic cases such as this underscore the reality that many teens drink.
And since it appears so common, many teens may not be as careful about drunk driving as they should be. It is unfortunate that such a young girl has to face this change in her life and to live with what happened. And even sadder that it ended in harm for another young girl.
As an underage drunk driver, you can be charged with more than one violation, underage drinking, license suspension, and more. Getting a DUI charge on your record can have serious repercussions. However, it is possible to face a DUI charge and get it dismissed, even if you are underage. For that, you need a skilled DUI lawyer that understands the details and consequences of DUI. They can fight for your in court and help reduce the charges.
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