DUI Arrest Made in Accident that Shut Down Busy California Freeway
A busy stretch of California highway was shut down over the weekend but was thankfully cleared up in time for the Monday morning commute after a fiery car accident involving a gas tanker. The driver responsible for the accident will be looking for a Ventura County DUI attorney, as he was arrested at the scene on suspicion of DUI.
The accident happened in the late night hours on Saturday. Hakop Maghakyan, 25, was traveling eastbound on the 134 freeway when he crashed into the back of a gas tanker. According to police reports, Maghakyan was traveling at a high rate of speed, causing the tanker to overturn and burst into flames.
Nobody was injured in the accident, but the fire did cause the 134 to be shut down until Sunday evening. Police reports don’t indicate what Maghakyan’s blood alcohol content was at the time, but we can confirm that he was released from custody on Sunday.
Despite all of the damage done by Maghakyan, he is still only facing a misdemeanor DUI. However, the owner of the gas rig could file a civil suit seeking restitution for the gas that was lost in the crash. A gasoline tanker holds approximately 8,800 gallons, so if it was full at the time of the crash, given today’s average gas prices, Maghakyan is looking at $40,000 in restitution in gasoline alone.
As far as the criminal case is concerned, it vital that Maghakyan find a great DUI attorney. If he manages to be found not guilty of a DUI, it could help him in any civil litigation that may be filed against him down the line.