The driver of a van whose crash left his two passengers dead earlier this week has been charged with a range of offenses, including manslaughter in the first degree and Oregon drunk driving, according to The Oregonian.
The Oregon car accident occurred Tuesday morning near Seal Rock, on the Central Oregon coast. The Oregonian, quoting Oregon State Police, reports that 24-year-old Jose De Leon Colomo was driving north on US-101 when his “van failed to negotiate a left curve, traveled over an embankment, and crashed into a tree, police said. The van broke into several pieces.”
The two passengers in the van were pronounced dead at the scene of the alleged Central Oregon drunk driving crash. Colomo, the driver, was treated at an area hospital before being placed under arrest and transferred to the Lincoln County jail. In addition to drunk driving and manslaughter he has also been charged with recklessly endangering another person and reckless driving, according to The Oregonian.
In incidents like these survivors and their families, once they are past the initial crisis and shock of the accident, need to consider their options as they seek to see justice done and to put their lives back together. Drunk driving can often be traced to bartenders or liquor store staff who can be held accountable for their actions under Oregon’s dram shop laws. Car accidents that stem from negligence may lead to Oregon wrongful death claims.
A Portland personal injury attorney with expertise in Oregon dram shop laws, Oregon drunk driving cases and Oregon wrongful death actions can offer advice in difficult times like these, helping bereaved families consider their options as they try to put their lives back together and seek justice.
The Oregonian: Newport man charged with manslaughter after two die in van wreck
Siuslaw News: Update on 101 fatal crash: driver arrested