In California, a DUI charge is not limited to being intoxicated by alcohol. A person who is intoxicated by drugs can also be charged with DUI, often referred to as a DUID to differentiate it from an alcohol-related crash. The penalties are the same as a DUI, and a drug doesn’t have to be illegal to lead to a DUID charge. A person can be intoxicated by a legal drug like marijuana, a prescription medication, or an over-the-counter medicine. Simply put, if the drug or medication can impair a person and they drive while under the influence of it, they can be charged with DUI in the state of California.
The LA Times reports that a man from Fountain Valley is suspected of being under the influence of drugs in a fatal crash that occurred in Garden Grove.
The crash occurred at about 1:30 p.m. last Wednesday at the intersection of Chapman Avenue and Euclid Street in Garden Grove.
27-year-old Kyle Morey is suspected of having caused the fatal crash when his vehicle rear-ended another at a red light at the intersection. 59-year-old Julie Varley was in the rear-ended vehicle, which then collided with another vehicle. It is unclear if everyone was wearing seatbelts during the crash.
Varley was rushed to UC Irvine Medical Center where doctors pronounced her deceased.
Morey sustained serious injuries that required surgery. Police believe that Morey may have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.
No one was injured in the third vehicle.
