A Seattle man was picking up his 8-year-old son from school last month at about 1:20 p.m., when his car was suddenly rear-ended by an unmarked Seattle police car. Behind the wheel was a Seattle Police officer, allegedly under the influence of alcohol. The collisions occurred at the intersection of Chennault Beach Road and SR 525, and the impact from the car accident caused the car that was rear-ended car to crash into two other vehicles. The man’s vehicle had been hit so hard in the collision that it was pushed underneath the car in front of him.
Neither the driver nor his young son appeared to sustain serious injuries as a result of the car accident, but they are both suffering from lingering aches and pains. The accident is still being investigated by Seattle Police, and it was noted that the arrested officer was previously arrested for a DUI in 1994. As the matter is still under active investigation, Seattle Police have not issued any further comments.
Car accidents injure. Mistakes and errors in judgment can be forgiven, but that doesn’t change the fact that sometimes blameless people often become victims of other people’s mistakes. Drunk driving is perhaps one of the gravest of those mistakes, because it can be prevented each and every time.
Unfortunately, people will always make mistakes and others often suffer for them. Seattle residents who have been hurt in a car accident may well benefit by contacting a lawyer with experience handling personal injury claims arising from motor vehicle accidents. The attorney can review the facts and circumstances, offer advice about the appropriate legal recourse and pursue negligent parties to hold them fully accountable for the injuries they caused.
Source: The My North West, “Father, 8-year-old son hit by alleged drunk Seattle Police officer,” Alyssa Kleven, Nov. 1, 2011