A 42-year-old Birmingham, Alabama woman has been arrested and charged with murder for her role in a suspected DUI crash in 2016 in Dora, Alabama.
The woman’s name is Rebecca A. Watson and she was booked into jail on Sept. 18. She has been charged in the death of Tammy Gail Marie Bernard after a crash on May 23, 2016.
That night, Jefferson County, Alabama deputies responded to a crash in the western part of the county. At the crash scene, first responders found a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup that had crashed into a ditch. Bernard was unconscious and was trapped in the vehicle; she had to be cut out by firefighters.
Watson was the driver. Both women were taken to the hospital, and Bernard was declared dead.
Police stated that information from the crash scene showed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol. Detectives did a thorough investigation that included the requesting of medical records and toxicology from the blood that was drawn after the accident. The information took several months to be compiled. But the woman was charged last week with murder and jailed with a $30,000 bond.
Our View
According to the CDC, there were 3190 drunk driving fatalities in Alabama from 2003 to 2012. The state has a high rate of death by drunk driving compared to national statistics. For people aged 21-34, Alabama has 10.3 people per 100,000 population die in DUI related crashes; the national average for that age group is 6.7.
Our personal injury attorneys licensed in North Carolina and Virginia would like to see fewer drunk driving deaths across America. What are some of the solutions?
- Always use a designated driver. Any time you plan to drink somewhere other than at home, you should use a designated driver or take a cab.
- Use public transportation. Another option is to use public buses or subways when drinking.
- Book a hotel or stay the night. If you are going to a party, it might be a better option to just stay the night than to risk driving after consuming alcohol.
- Hide the keys. If a person tends to drive after drinking, there is nothing wrong with taking away their keys. Get them a cab.
- Alternative drinks. If you are having a party, be sure to offer non-alcoholic drinks such as soda, water, and juice.
- Have food. It is helpful to eat while drinking as it helps to absorb the alcohol.
If you just follow a few of these simple tips, you can avoid a terrible drunk driving accident that injures or kills people. It is far better to pay for a cab or Uber to get home than to get in a drunk driving accident and be sued for in a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death lawsuit.
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