A recent head-on crash near Freeburg will likely result in DUI and marijuana charges for a 20-year-old woman. She suffered serious head injuries, according to authorities. The police were waiting for the woman to be released from the hospital to charge her for her role in the head-on collision.
Remarkably, the 27-year-old Freeburg man whose pickup was struck by the woman refused medical treatment at the scene of the crash. Whether the pickup driver later required medical treatment was not disclosed in a local news report.
The woman’s vehicle apparently crossed into the opposite lane of the road and hit the truck. The driver of the pickup said he tried to maneuver away from the oncoming car, but his truck was hit on the driver’s side. The collision caused the pickup to whirl into a nearby ditch.
Inside the woman’s car, deputies found several 40-ounce bottles of beer; some were empty, some were full. Apparently, marijuana was also found.
The crash was so bad that the woman had to be extricated from her vehicle, the front end of which was crushed by the collision. She was initially taken to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville and was later flown by helicopter to St. Louis for treatment.
Sometimes an accident is rattling enough that injured individuals choose to forego immediate medical treatment and instead seek the comfort of home. That doesn’t mean a person won’t later experience physical pain because of a crash. Injuries in car accidents can take many forms, and physical complications from an accident may surface unexpectedly.
Treatment for this kind of injury can go on for years, causing medical bills to pile up, even if the injury only worsens. Many people who suffer this kind of pain ultimately seek relief through a personal injury claim that pursues compensation for damages. Still, a solid course of action is to seek medical treatment as soon as possible if injuries become apparent after a car accident.
Source: Belleville News-Democrat, “Police: Alcohol, drugs played role in head-on accident,” March 7, 2012