Nine year old Julian Suttle was critically injured in a single vehicle crash Saturday afternoon on VA360. Julian was flown to Duke Medical Center with life threatening injuries. At the time of this posting, there has been no new information reported on the child’s condition. Police report that the vehicle struck a stop sign, ran off the road and hit a utility pole. Reports stated that the vehicle was split in half during the impact. The driver of the vehicle, Melissa Rhodes, age 28 was also seriously injured in the crash.
Virginia State Police have charged the driver with DUI. Neither person was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Charges in addition to the DUI are pending at this time. It is unclear if the driver of the vehicle is related to the child injured in the crash.
A crash like this is a textbook example of the dangers of drunk driving.
Alcohol is considered a depressant because it slows down the functions of the central nervous system. Consuming alcohol impairs hand-eye coordination, delays decision making, slows down response time, and affects visual acuity.
All of these abilities are necessary for operating a vehicle safely. Even though the public is far more aware of the dangers of drunk driving and related vehicle crashes than in the past, accidents like the one Saturday in Halifax still take over 10,000 lives per year in the United States.
In fact, an estimated 32% of fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated pedestrian or driver and according to the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, 2 out of every 3 people will be involved in a DUI related crash during their lifetime.
If you or a loved one has been injured or wrongful-death killed in a motor vehicle accident, call The Thomson Law Firm today for a FREE consultation. (540) 777-4900.
UPDATE:
We are deeply sorry to report that Julian Suttle, the 9-year old victim from the car accident referenced in this blog has died from injuries sustained in the crash. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this child.
