Is Drunk Driver Guilty of Child Endangerment?

A Hesperia woman faces child endangerment charges after she caused a drunk driving crash with a child in her vehicle Saturday night. Police received a call just after 7 p.m. concerning an erratic driver. Witnesses saw the driver running stop signs in Apple Valley near Green Tree Road and Hesperia Road.

The 26-year-old suspect, identified as Sounique Simental, then crashed her Toyota Camry into another vehicle on Highway 18 and Rim Rock Road. Police arrived at the scene and arrested Simental for driving under the influence. They say she was visibly stumbling.

A 7-year-old child was in the Camry when the crash occurred. The child was not properly restrained in a car seat. Police charged Simental with driving under the influence and child endangerment.

Child Endangerment and DUI

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2,469 children under the age of 15 died while riding in a vehicle with a drunk driver from 2000 to 2009. One in five deaths of child passengers is caused by a drunk driver. Children riding with a drunk driver are at risk not only because of the driver’s impairment, but also the lack of proper safety restraints. Only 18% of drivers in fatal drunk driving crashes had restrained their children properly.

“Driving drunk is always an irresponsible choice. Doing so with a child in the vehicle is unconscionable,” said Attorney Walter Clark, founder of Walter Clark Legal Group.

Our firm has been handling personal injury cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured in an auto accident and want to discuss your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, and Yucca Valley and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.

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