Brooks, OR — One person was killed and two were critically injured in an alleged drunk driving accident near Brooks, Oregon, on Tuesday, November 25, 2014. The accident took place on Interstate 5, around 2:45 in the morning.
Police say Audrey Bliven was traveling in the wrong direction on I-5 when she crashed into a BMW. Inside the BMW were three people. They’ve been identified as 49-year old Deana Deleon, 37-year old Juan Ledesma, and a 7-year old girl whose name was not released.
Deleon died in the accident. Ledesma was transported to Salem Hospital by emergency responders. The 7-year old was taken to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
Bliven was treated and released from Salem before police arrested her. She’s been charged with second-degree manslaughter, as well as DUI and other charges related to reckless driving.
The accident is currently under investigation.
Approximate Scene of the Accident
Commentary
Police believe alcohol was involved in the accident, and if that’s the case, one thing that needs to be focused on is whether or not Bliven was drinking at a bar before the accident occurred. The crash happened around 2:30 in the morning, so I don’t think that’s too much of a stretch. If that’s what happened, the bar may be partially liable for the accident. Oregon’s dram shop laws prevent establishments that serve alcohol from serving anyone visibly intoxicated. Several states have similar laws and they’re ignored all the time. However, if a bar was serving Bliven after she had reached her limit, they played a role in the accident. So did Bliven, and she should be held accountable. In addition to that, the bar shouldn’t be allowed to continue on as if nothing had happened.
— Grossman Law Offices
