Marijuana May Have Played a Role in the Deaths of Two People

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) July 13, 2015 – This San Antonio, Texas crash left one vehicle split in half, two dead and three seriously injured. Marijuana may have played a role in the accident.

“Impaired driving can refer to being impaired by drugs,” said Austin, Texas car accident attorney, Brooks Schuelke of Perlmutter & Schuelke, PLLC. “It was later at night, about 11:30 p.m., when the 19-year-old driver of a red Lexus lost control of his vehicle. He was heading south on Highway 281 and the accident happened near 281 and Sonterra Blvd.”

According to police and eyewitness reports, the Lexus, for some unknown reason, crossed the median, entered into the northbound lanes and hit a 2005 Toyota. The Lexus was hit on the passenger’s side and the Toyota sustained significant front-end damage. The force of the impact resulted in the Lexus splitting in half between the rear and front seats. Two male passengers were left dead, and the driver, Christopher Paul Marchini, was pried out of the wreck and taken to the nearest hospital in critical condition.

Marchini admitted to the police that he had been smoking marijuana, but stated he had not been drinking. From other evidence found at the scene, and based on the force of the impact and the resulting damage, it appeared that he had also been speeding. Marchini was charged with two counts of intoxication assault and two counts of intoxication manslaughter. “Marijuana use does fall under the category of intoxication manslaughter or DWI. However, it is hard to prove,” said Schuelke, who is not involved in the case. Marchini’s bond was set at $150,000.

“The families of those who lost their lives in the Marchini vehicle may wish to file wrongful death lawsuits. Those in the Toyota may file personal injury lawsuits to obtain compensation for their injuries. Certainly negligence is evident in this case, based on the facts. How successful it may be in court is going to be related to being able to prove Marchini was impaired by the marijuana he had smoked,” said Schuelke. There may be other elements at play in this case as well. An example would be if Marchini had smoked marijuana under the protection of a medical prescription — medical marijuana use — what chemical component remained in his bloodstream, when he had smoked it and how much.

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