Once again, the reckless and irresponsible decision of an intoxicated individual to get behind the wheel has resulted in an innocent life lost.
A 2003 Lexus carrying two people was heading west on Saxis Road when a 1999 Mustang veered into the westbound lane and caused a horrific crash.
The passenger in the Lexus, Lenwood Bowen, was rushed to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Maryland, but it was too late – he died due to the severity of his injuries, according to PilotOnline.com.
Melissa Johnson, the driver of the Lexus, was taken to Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital with injuries. Fortunately, she appears to be on the path to recovery.
Our sympathies go out to the Bowen family. It’s never easy losing someone you love, but it has to be gut-wrenching to discover your loved one’s life was taken in a car wreck. It also has to be infuriating to know that this tragic crash probably could have been avoided, if only the Mustang driver did not drive while intoxicated.
Police charged the driver of the Mustang with driving under the influence.
Far too many Virginians suffer life-altering injuries, or wind up losing their lives, in drunk driving accidents. The Virginia DMV reported that, in 2012, nearly 230 people were killed in drunk driving wrecks and close to 6,000 people suffered injuries.
These numbers are simply unacceptable. Driving while intoxicated cannot be tolerated. If you or a friend enjoy one too many beverages, take the simple step of calling a cab and have at least one designated driver. There’s even easy-to-use Apps where you can get a cab within 10 minutes. In today’s world, there’s really no excuse to be driving while under the influence.
Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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