A 13-year-old girl died in a car crash caused by an alleged drunk driver on Sunday, July 7. The accident, according a report from the Washington Post, happened in Prince William County, Va.
About the Woodbridge Car Accident
According to the police, the accident happened at approximately 1:40 p.m. in Woodbridge, Va at the intersection of Old Bridge Road and Touchstone Circle. A 2010 Nissan Sentra driven by Duane Chaldron Brown, 32, ran a red light on Old Bridge Road and struck a 1998 Ford Explorer, which had the right of way.
Two 13-year-old children in the back of the Explorer, who were not wearing seat belts, were ejected from the vehicle in the collision. One of the children, identified as Antoinette Peters died from injuries sustained in the crash. The other child, who has not been identified, was treated at an area hospital with non-life-threatning injuries. Also injured in the crash was the driver of the Explorer as well as a front-seat passenger.
Following the crash, Brown fled the scene. Police apprehended Brown with the help of a K9 unit. Brown was arrested on charges including manslaughter, hit-and-run, driving under the influence, and driving on a revoked license. After taking Brown into custody, police transported him to a local hospital to be treated for internal injuries sustained in the crash.
U.S. Motor Vehicle Accidents Statistics
The following statistics about traffic accidents in the U.S. are provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- 33,561 people died from motor vehicle accidents in 2012. Those fatalities represented a 3.3% increase from 2011 to 2012.
- Based on vehicle miles traveled, Injury rates due to car accidents increased 6.7% from 2011 to 2012.
- Accidents due to alcohol influence accounted for 31% of total motor vehicle fatalities.
- From 2011 to 2012 there was a 3.7% increase in car accidents involving large trucks.
- In 2012, 14.13% of motor vehicle fatalities involved pedestrians.
- Motor vehicle fatalities in intersections increased by 5.4% from 2011 to 2012.
