January Crashes Alcohol and Drugs

12 fatal crashes involved alcohol in January. In six the impaired driver was killed.
4 victims were passengers riding with an impaired driver.
2 victims were killed in 2 vehicle crashes with an impaired driver.




There were 8 cases in which drugs were a factor. In most drugs and alcohol were combined. However, in one case a driver with drugs ran into and killed another driver.


In most of the January fatalities, toxicology tests are pending.

January Crashes

The Dept of Safety Titan program indicates there were over 12,000 crashes on Tennessee roads in January.
These included 47 crashes that resulted in fatalities; 295 crashes that resulted in 678 incapacitating injuries and 1376 crashes that resulted in 2107 injuries.
The map shows the location of the fatal crashes in January.

Death rates fall as vehicles improve

Death rates fall as vehicles improve



This study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety may make you feel better or worse about your choice of vehicle. Bigger is still better for safety.

8th Vehicular Homicide conviction of 2015

 January is always a busy month in the Courts, but it seems even busier this year. This represents the 8th Vehicular Homicide conviction this year.....already. A majority have been drivers impaired by pills and drugs.





Woman, 70, high on drugs convicted of vehicular homicide in Pine - WJHL.com

His fourth DUI: Man who killed cab driver in crash gets 15 years - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

His fourth DUI: Man who killed cab driver in crash gets 15 years - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

DUI NEWS is Available

Issue 49 of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference DUI NEWS is now available on our website at:




 http://dui.tndagc.org/newsletters/DUI%20News%20-%20Issue%2049.pdf

Tennessee man sentenced for Rosemont crash

Barbara Vitello of the Chicago Herald reports:
A Tennessee man who struck two men riding a motorcycle at Lee Street and the Jane Adams Tollway in Rosemont last August pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of an accident involving an injury.

Jason Gaston, 35, was sentenced to a total of six years in prison -- three years for the DUI and three years for leaving the scene, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Michael Crowe. Gaston, who received credit for 108 days in custody, must serve the sentences consecutively, Crowe said.

Authorities say Gaston struck the two men about 2:20 a.m. Aug. 23. After a bystander observed that one of the motorcyclists appeared to be dead, Gaston left the scene, prosecutors said during his bond hearing.

Illinois State Police eventually traced Gaston to the Rosemont hotel where he was staying.

The two victims were both from Elk Grove Village. The driver suffered a broken pelvis and internal bleeding, prosecutors said. His passenger suffered a fractured right leg. Both men have since been released from the hospital, Crowe said.