An Oklahoma City councilman was formally charged last Tuesday with his second DUI offense in the last three years. According to reports from News Channel 4, the councilman was arrested after police found him behind the wheel of a vehicle that had crashed into a fire hydrant.

An officer with the Oklahoma City police department was on a routine patrol when he noticed a vehicle facing north in the eastbound lanes of traffic on Northwest 63 Street at around 12:15 AM. Reports say that the driver claimed to have crashed into the hydrant after avoiding an erratic driver, but evidence at the scene contradicted the story and the man appeared to be drunk.

He failed a field sobriety test and was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Reports noted that on the way to booking, the councilman urinated in the back of the officer’s squad car.

In 2009, the councilman was arrested under similar circumstances for driving under the influence down I-35.

Drunk driving can be a very dangerous thing to do considering it is the number one contributing factor in fatal crashes in the United States today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To help combat the growing problem of drunk driving accidents, injuries, and deaths, the Oklahoma Car Accident Lawyers with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers support programs like Safe and Sober throughout the year. The firm provides safe cab rides home for those who have been drinking too much as an alternative to driving drunk.

A 54-year-old truck driver was killed after being involved in an accident with another tractor-trailer and a car on I-35 in Oklahoma City last Friday. According to News Channel 4, the accident occurred in the northbound lanes of the highway, near the on ramp from NE 122nd Street.

Spokeswoman for the Oklahoma highway patrol, Trooper Betsy Randolph, said that a tractor-trailer was attempting to come onto the highway when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The driver who was hit and killed was in the northbound lanes of the highway and tried to avoid colliding with the out-of-control truck, but couldn’t. Debris from the collision flew back on the highway, causing another car to wreck as well.

Accidents involving commercial tractor-trailers can be very complicated due to the numerous laws that regulate the trucking industry. Drivers have strict limits on every aspect of how they do their job, and failure to maintain standards could be grounds for a case of fault if involved in an accident similar to the one described above.

That is why the Oklahoma truck accident attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers encourage anyone who has been involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer to contact a lawyer immediately. They will be able to help you better understand your rights and what information should be examined to ensure the truck driver was in full compliance with the law.

A 36-year-old ambulance driver has been charged with misdemeanor negligent homicide following an accident on December 10, which killed the other driver involved. According to News Channel 4, the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) paramedic was responding to a priority 2 call with lights and sirens on when he collided with a van at the intersection of N.W. 10th St. and May Ave.

Affidavits show that the ambulance was approaching traffic congestion at a higher speed than previously believed–83 MPH in a 40 MPH zone–when the driver chose to go across the double yellow centerlines and pass eastbound traffic in the westbound lanes. As this was happening, the victim made a legal left turn into a driveway and into the path of the ambulance where the two collided. The victim died a short time after the crash.

While attorneys for the paramedic are firmly standing by the statement that the man responded properly and followed all procedures and protocols in response to the call, the paramedics driving history may hurt his case. In 2002, the man pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, open container, speeding, and unsafe lane changes.

The Oklahoma Auto Accident Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers have more than 20 years of experience helping victims defend their rights. If you, or someone you know, have been injured in an accident at no fault of your own, contact us today to get a free consultation of your case.

A change in Oklahoma state law may take place in regards to emergency vehicle driver safety after a recent accident involving an ambulance and a minivan. According to KOCO News, an Oklahoma City man was killed when an Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) ambulance hit his van at the intersection of Northwest 10th and May Avenue.

The man was passing through the intersection with a green light as an ambulance smashed into the side of his vehicle. The impact sent the car skidding nearly 75-feet across the asphalt before hitting a light pole.

Witnesses told investigating officers that the ambulance only had its lights on, and not it’s siren, as it blew through the intersection and T-boned the man’s car; however, an EMSA investigation determined that both lights and sirens were on at the time of the crash.

State law does not require an emergency vehicle to use any light, sirens, or a combination of both when responding to an emergency.

State Representative Doug Cox says he will introduce legislation next session that will require ambulances and other emergency vehicles to use both lights and sirens when responding to calls.

The Oklahoma Auto Accident Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers support the push for better laws regulating emergency vehicle driver safety when going to or coming from a call or emergency situation. If you have been injured in an emergency vehicle accident at no fault of your own, contact an attorney today.

A new piece of legislature in Oklahoma’s law books has stirred debate over whether it is too ambiguous or just doing the job of keeping state highways safer. According to News Channel 4, house Bill 1507–also know as Aaron’s Law–took effect in the state November first of this year.

The law was named after a 17-year-old Yukon teen who was killed after being hit by a woman who ran a stop sign. The law created tougher rules against reckless driving and requires a no exceptions one year drivers license suspension for anyone ticketed for reckless driving.

“What’s the problem?” you may ask. Many citizens say that law enforcement often writes tickets for reckless driving in situations other than where bodily harm has been caused in a crash or when a driver fails to stop for a school bus. One Oklahoma City attorney said he had handled cases where a driver was cited for reckless driving for changing three lanes on a highway to get over for an exit. He said texting and driving could be now considered reckless behavior behind the wheel, and also speeding if you are going 20 miles above the posted limit.

The Oklahoma Auto Accident Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers want to hear from you. Is the new law effective at stopping dangerous behavior of drivers behind the wheel, or is it too ambiguous and should only be used for more serious offenses? Tell us your opinion by posting to our Facebook page.

The dangers of drunk driving have hit home for one Oklahoma woman and the family of a man she is responsible for killing in a car crash last Wednesday. According to KTUL News, the 40-year-old woman was charged Tuesday with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the accident.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol says that the accident happened along Highway 59 near Grove, Oklahoma, at around 3:00 in the afternoon. Troopers say they believe the woman was driving under the influence of alcohol when she veered off the road while maneuvering a turn and struck a retaining wall near the highway. The impact caused her 47-year-old, male passenger, who was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, to be partially ejected from the 2004 Chevrolet. He was pronounced dead at the scene once paramedics arrived.

Studies by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT) have shown a link between alcohol and lack of seat belt use.  They found 38 percent of motorists involved in crashes used seat belts when the accident was not alcohol related, but the number dropped to 18 percent when alcohol was involved.

The Oklahoma Auto Accident Attorneys at J. Colbert Injury Lawyers would like to encourage motorists to keep Oklahoma’s roadways safe by always buckling up and refraining from drinking if you are going to get behind the wheel. These two simple decisions could save your life, or that of another person.

The Oklahoma City Police Department says two officers were injured during a string of three crashes within a 24-hour period last week. According to News Channel 4, the accidents happened between Friday and Saturday.

A spokesperson for the Department, Sergeant Gary Knight, stated the first accident happened in the early morning hours of Friday at the intersection of 44 and Agnew, when a driver ran a red light and struck the front end of the officer’s cruiser as he passed through the intersection. The officer suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Not long after the first accident, a second occurred at MLK Boulevard and El Reno. No injuries were reported from the minor fender bender.

The final accident came as an officer had a vehicle pulled over on I-44. He was gathering information about the driver, when suddenly a vehicle hit the squad car from behind. He had apparently swerved off the road to avoid missing a slowing vehicle in front of him in the right hand lane. Unfortunately, when he swerved off the road, he put himself on a direct path into the rear of the stopped patrol car. The officer was taken to a local hospital where he was expected to make a full recovery.

The Oklahoma Auto Accident Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers would like to urge all drivers to move into the left lane when you see an officer with a stopped vehicle on the side of the road.

A tractor-trailer driver from Gasden, Tennessee, was killed near Weatherford, Oklahoma when his truck collided with a cow. According to Channel 8 News, the accident occurred along I-40 late Sunday evening.

The 58-year-old driver was in the westbound lanes of the highway. It was dark and the driver had little time to react to the massive bovine that had wandered into lanes of traffic from one of the many pastures that line the highway. The truck overcorrected and rolled off the side of the highway with the driver trapped inside. Once rescuers arrived, it took them roughly 43 minutes to free the driver from the debris. Firefighters said the man suffered massive injuries and was declared dead at the scene of the crash.

According to MSN, several million animal collisions occur yearly and are responsible for the deaths of several hundred individuals every year. In most cases, the animal is wild, like a deer, and there is no one to be held responsible for it being in the road. In this case, the cow’s negligent owner allowed it to escape.

The Oklahoma Auto Accident Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers understand accidents happen, but that deson’t mean a victim or victim’s family should suffer because of someone else’s negligence. Contact us today by filling out a free online consultation form if you have been injured because of another person’s mistake.

Two students were hit by a car at a school crossing Monday morning in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, outraging those who had warned against the school cross guard shortage months ago.

In late July of this year, The Oklahoman reported Oklahoma City Schools were facing a shortage of crossing guards for the upcoming year, and many officials and parents were worried for the safety of the students. Officials said they were 33 guards short for the year but would find temporary replacements for slots that could not be filled. Officials also reminded drivers to slow down and encouraged parents review crosswalk safety with their children.

On Monday though, two young brothers, one a kindergartener and the other a 3^rd grader, were struck by a car at an unmanned crosswalk on their way to school. KOCO News reports that the boys were crossing the road in front of Fairview Elementary, where they attend, at 7:45 AM when an approaching vehicle hit the boys. They were taken to OU Medical Center where they remain in critical condition. The district said the guard stationed at that corner doesn’t arrive until 8:00 AM.

The Oklahoma Auto Accident Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers urge parents to always supervise young children while crossing the street and review how to properly and safely cross a road. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a car-pedestrian accident, contact J. Colbert Injury Lawyers for a free, initial consultation to help answer any questions you may have regarding the case.