According to state law, a driver can face the charge of felony DUI after their fourth conviction within a 10-year period. The chances of a felony charge increase if a driver injures or kills someone.
The Santa Monica Mirror reports that a 35-year-old man is now facing the charge of felony driving under the influence of alcohol after he critically injured another man in a crash in Santa Monica late June 2.
According to a report appearing on the City of Santa Monica website, police dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call just before midnight from an eyewitness of a traffic collision with injuries at the intersection of 26th Street and Wilshire Boulevard.
In a statement, Lt. Erika Aklufi told reporters that Santa Monica Police Department officers responded to the scene of the crash where a Volkswagen Jetta had “left the roadway and crashed into a pedestrian who was seated on a bus bench. “
Paramedics rushed the 19-year-old male victim, who suffered traumatic injuries to both legs, to UCLA Medical Center, where he is currently listed in critical condition.
Investigating officers determined that the driver of the Volkswagen, 35-year-old John Edward Alevizos of Los Angeles, was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
“Due to the injuries to the victim, was arrested and booked for felony Driving Under the Influence,” Lt. Aklufi said.
