Tampa Bay Injury Attorney Blog
TAMPA, FL – A 51-year-old woman, who was intoxicated, was arrested after causing a fiery collision that claimed the life of her passenger Monday.
The Tampa Bay Times said the woman had crashed her van into a median on 78th Street North under the Selmon Expressway. The force of the crash caused the van to catch on fire and trapped the woman and her passenger.
Hillsborough County deputies arrived at the scene around 2:30 a.m. and pulled out the occupants. Deputies said the male passenger died at the crash site. He has since been identified as 54-year-old Emilio Alfaro-Herrera. EMS crews rushed the driver to Tampa General Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Officials conducted a field sobriety test on the woman, and the results showed her level at 0.20, which is more than twice the state’s legal limit – 0.08. Deputies arrested the woman and booked her into jail. She has since been identified as Maria Elena Menjivar, a local. She is being held without bond and has a scheduled court date.
If your loved one died as a result of a DUI-related crash, our seasoned wrongful death lawyer, Whittel & Melton, LLC, would like to help you hold the reckless driver accountable. By filing a wrongful death lawsuit, you have the opportunity to obtain justice for your late loved one and your family and, of course, funds to help alleviate the costs of funeral expenses, medical bills, and other financial burdens. We invite you to set up a free consultation online or by phone at 866-608-5529.