Updated on: 11/19/2019
Police in Burien say that an adult woman was killed and her 10-year-old son was critically injured after a fatal car crash that was believed to have been caused by an impaired driver on State Route 518 Saturday afternoon.
According to KOMONews.com, a Kent man identified as 20-year-old Manoj Siwakoti is believed to have been under the influence of drugs when he reportedly ran a red light and crashed his SUV into a Toyota sedan just after 3 p.m. Saturday.
Trooper Chris Webb of the Washington State Patrol (WSP) says that the driver of the Toyota, identified as 41-year-old Lilliam Portillo, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Webb added that Portillo’s 10-year-old son, who was a passenger at the time of the collision, was critically injured and transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment.
The boy’s status had been updated to stable condition and he had been released from the hospital by Sunday.
Filing a Claim Against an Impaired Driver
There is still a great deal of investigation that will need to be done into the circumstances surrounding this tragic crash, which will undoubtedly take WSP officials several days to complete. Witness statements need to be documented and any additional evidence that can prove what led to Saturday’s fatal crash will need to be collected and preserved.
On the civil side of the law, it will be important for the victims’ loved ones to find out exactly what caused this driver to allegedly run the red light and crash into Portillo’s vehicle. Of equal importance will be determining whether or not the driver had liability insurance coverage at the time of the collision.
If it is discovered that the driver did have insurance, then the person(s) responsible for acting on behalf of the victims may wish to pursue a wrongful death claim to recover the damages and losses that the family has suffered. Of course, consulting with a qualified wrongful death lawyer will give the victims the best chance at understanding all of their legal options and rights moving forward.