A car accident involving a drunk driver injured one person in Erie last evening. The accident involved two vehicles and took place around 10:30 p.m. in Millcreek Township.
Police, ambulance, and emergency crews were called to the intersection of West 12th Street and Filmore Avenue late last night. According to local police, a sport utility vehicle was headed westbound on 12th Street when the driver made a sudden left turn onto Filmore Avenue without signaling and crossed into the path of an eastbound Jeep Liberty coming the opposite way. West 12th Street remained closed for some time while clean-up crews cleared the scene of the crash.
Fortunately, the driver of the Jeep Liberty was not injured in the accident, however, the driver of the SUV had to be taken to UPMC Hamot in Erie via ambulance. The extent of his injuries are unknown at this point and police has not yet released an official statement; however, police do believe that the driver of the SUV may have been driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
Around the holidays, many make their way to Christmas parties and local taverns to meet with old friends. If you're out enjoying yourself this holiday season, don't drink and drive. If you're going to have a few alcoholic beverages be sure your group has a designated driver or you make plans for a taxi at the end of the night. Too often, tragedy strikes just before the holidays because people who have too much to drink think they can get into their vehicle and make it home with getting into an accident. This is yet another case of someone who had too many and let his inhibitions be manipulated by alcohol. Don't let it happen to you.
Source: YourErie.com, "Late Night Crash Injures One" 20 December 2013