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.

An oil rig explosion in the town of Marshall, Oklahoma, this past Friday sent four workers to the hospital, where three remain critically injured. According to reports from Oklahoma’s News On 6, the blast occurred at around 7:30 PM after pressure control systems on the rig failed and ignited an oil and natural gas mixture coming from the well.

The explosion happened with little to no warning and captured four men in the path of the blast. They were all taken to a local hospital for treatment, where three are still receiving care for the burns they received. Doctors estimate that the men should be released later this week or early next week.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that an increase of 65 percent has been seen in recent years in regards to the number of workers who are killed on-the-job each year by fires and explosions. Their data shows that 187 workers died in 2010, versus the 113 that died in 2009. Also on the rise is the number of deaths each year in the extraction industry with 91 in 2010, up from 59 in 2009. The number of those injured in these categories has been on the rise as well in recent years.

While a job may be considered dangerous, the Oklahoma workers’ compensation lawyers with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers know that employers have a responsibility to supply all employees with a safe work environment. That is why they are here to help anyone who has been injured on-the-job at no fault of their own.

The dangers blue-collared workers face on the job site was highlighted last Friday night in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, when a tank four men were working on exploded. According to reports from News Channel 4, investigators with the Kingfisher Fire Department determined the blast was caused by residual gas and flammable fumes that had built up in the tank.

One of the men was welding on the tank with the three others standing near the front of it when a spark from the torch ignited into a giant fireball. The blast knocked windows out of surrounding cars and buildings and left the tank with a gaping hole on the underside, but miraculously none of the men around the tank were injured.

While all the workers in this case luckily escaped unscathed, other workers may not be so lucky if a similar accident were to occur. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the construction industry is the most dangerous, having more fatal accidents per year than the trucking industry. In fact, in the year 1995, welders alone accounted for a total of 72 deaths in the industry.

That’s why it’s important that employers and contractors promote a safety oriented work environment and carry plenty of workers’ compensation insurance. Unfortunately, many times when an accident happens, insurance companies do not properly compensate the victim.

The Oklahoma workers’ compensation attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers advise those who were hurt on-the-job at no fault of their own to seek the advice of an attorney immediately after getting medical attention.

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.

An Oklahoma City woman was seriously injured in a New Years Eve apartment fire. According to News Channel 4, the fire started at around 10:00 PM Saturday night at Willow Cliff Apartments located at the corner of N.W. 50th St. and Meridian Ave.

Firefighters said that they could see smoke billowing out of a second story unit of the building when they arrived at the scene. They quickly made entry to the burning apartment, where they found a female victim who had been severely burned in the blaze.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where she remains in critical condition.

Arson investigators who were called to the scene of the fire determined that the blaze was started by “discarded smoking materials” on a couch.

The Federal government says that the number one cause of fatal house fires in our country today is cigarettes. Data shows that fires caused by burning cigarette butts claim an average of 900 lives per year and normally begin on soft furnishings. Experts also point out that it is not always the smokers who are injured in these blazes. Children, parents, spouses, and neighbors are often the ones who are hurt by these fires that are sparked because of negligence.

If you have been hurt in a fire that was started at no fault of your own, the Oklahoma burn injury attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers can help. Contact an experienced attorney today for a free initial consultation.

An Oklahoma City teen that was seriously injured after being involved in an accident with a truck Friday morning has been identified and reunited with his family. According to KFOR News, the accident occurred at around 8:30 AM at the 1900 block of NE 23rd Street.

Police reports show that the boy was riding his bike through an intersection in the neighborhood streets when he was broadsided by a pickup truck. The boy could only whisper his first name to witnesses before slipping into unconsciousness. Posts on social networks about the accident helped reunited the 15-year-old with his family.

The teen suffered major head trauma and is listed in critical condition.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute reports that 630 cyclists died on US highways in 2009 and that 74 of those were young teens. They found that 44 percent of all nonfatal bicycle accidents also occurred to riders between the ages of five and 20. This accounts for approximately 22,000 of the reported injuries examined.

The Oklahoma bicycle accident attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers encourage motorists and cyclists to be courteous to one another and always share the road. The most common reason reported for collisions with cyclists is that the driver “did not see them.” That is why it is important to keep one another safe by always looking twice at intersections before proceeding.

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.