Shown is the driver of a blue Mazda who is distraught as the three girls he hit with his car are raced to Inter Mountain hospital. The name of this 28 year old male has not been disclosed, but police suspect that he was texting while driving. His distraction became apparent as he ran over three girls ages 14,10, and 9 even though they were crossing the street safely and using a designated cross walk. The local Midway girls were on their way to the local pool near Wasatch street when the accident took place Tuesday afternoon.

The 9 year old girl is still in critical condition while the other two girls are in serious condition.

Distracted driving leads to delayed reaction times. In this case the time between seeing the girls and the use of the break were to far apart. Distracted driving accounts for 18% of all accidents according to the CDC.

Accidents like this support the new no cell phone law for teens that was put in place the same day as the accident. If accidents like this tragedy continue we can expect that the cell phone and driving ban will be extended to all ages.

We at Christensen & Hymas wish the girls a successful recovery. We hope that this serves as a painful reminder to all that frequently use their phones while driving to put it down and focus.

If you have been hit as a result of a driver who has been texting while driving, call a compassionate attorney from Christensen & Hymas. We specialize in cases involving cell phone use and would be happy to assist you.

Article and photo originally reported by Deseret News

One month ago, Leslee Henson and her husband Dave were in a serious accident that seriously injured her and killed him, She is now out of the hospital, and back home recovering from her back and neck injuries. Leslee and Dave were training for the St. George Spectrum 10K race when a car hit them both. The car had been propelled by another car whose driver was texting, who had rear-ended the first. The impact killed Dave almost instantly when he pushed Leslee away from the blow. Her injuries included fractures in her back and neck, requiring over 5,000 stitches as well as facial reconstruction surgery. Amazingly, after some physical therapy, she is expected to have a full recovery.

Leslee wants to use this tragedy as a way to prevent others from going through the same thing. As part of a distracted driving campaign, she is preparing to speak to high school students throughout southern Utah. Her daughter, Haley said, “She wants to put her energy into spreading awareness.”

In addition to hosting a “silent” 5 K race in Mapleton to honor their father, and the plan to purchase billboard space, the Henson children launched a website promoting awareness of the severity of the problem: Stop the Texts, Stop the Wrecks.

Haley said, “Our main objective is to hopefully get stricter cellphone laws in Utah… Distracted driving is just not smart. When people start realizing how dangerous it is, we think they’ll eventually be persuaded.”

From all of us at Christensen & Hymas, we thank Leslee for her bravery in this campaign. Let’s keep each other safe and aware out there on the roads.

If you have any questions about a personal case involving texting and driving, call 801-506-0800 for a FREE consultation with a Utah Accident Lawyer at Christensen & Hymas today.

Image courtesy of ksl news

In a story from KUTV, Linda Mulkey wants to promote awareness of the dangers of texting and driving. A few years ago, almost to this day, her daughter Lauren was hit and instantly killed by a negligent, texting driver.

It was March 17th, St. Patrick’s day. Lauren went out with some friends, even though her mother was worried about the drunk drivers on the road because of the holiday. 17-year-old Lauren assured her that she was just going to a friend’s house, promised she’d be home by midnight, and she knew she’d be fine.

When midnight came around, and Lauren was not home, Linda got concerned. There was no answer on Lauren’s cell phone either, and Linda said it wasn’t like Lauren not to call. Around 1:00 am, two uniformed police men came to Linda’s door with news of an accident, and her daughter’s death.

Linda says in the article, “the 19-year-old that hit her was going north of 1300 East, ran a red light… [that] had been red for five seconds, plowing into [Lauren] with such speed that it flipped her SUV and she was killed instantly.” The driver had been texting when he  ran the red light.

Linda has since started a big campaign to make people aware of the dangers of texting and driving. She put up billboards with her daughter’s picture and the simple, but impactful message: “Hang Up, Save a Life.” She has also launched a website: hangupsavealife.com  giving people the chance to get informed, or if they want to be  involved themselves.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of a texting driver, call Christensen & Hymas for a free consultation on how to proceed to get closure or compensation. 801-506-0800

Last week, 18-year-old Keri Houston was pinned between her parked car and an oncoming vehicle. Witnesses Jason Hollobaugh and Robert Stoney ran out to help after hearing sounds from the crash and the victim’s screams. Stoney said, “Her leg was all but completely off in two places.” Luckily he had received first-aid training in Marine recruit bootcamp. Even though that was ten years ago, he knew what to do, “Resort the breathing. Stop the bleeding. Protect the wound.” He used his belt as a tourniquet to stop th blood pumping from Houston’s damaged leg, while Hollobaugh tried to calm her fears.

She is in critical condition at Intermountain Medical Center.

Currently in police custody, is the man who was accused of hitting Houston, Jake Antonio Arrats. After he hit bystander Houston, he drove away, almost 300 feet down the street, where he crashed into a chain-link fence in the front yard of a house.

There is suspicion of alcohol and/or drug involvement, but Arrats was being negligent in another way. As he was driving, he received and responded to a text message. His phone read, “ha ha” before the crash occurred.

27-year-old Arrats was initially arrested for investigation of DUI, texting and driving, no insurance and never having obtained a driver’s license. Had Jason Hollobaugh and Robert Stoney not helped Houston before the ambulance arrived, Arrats most likely would have been charged with automobile homicide.

We sincerely hope Keri Houston makes a full recovery soon. To her friends and family, here at Christensen & Hymas, our hearts go out to you.

Today is AT&T’s Don’t Text and Drive Pledge Day in Utah, and with the frequency with which these accidents are occurring, the importance of adhering to a ‘no text and drive’ policy cannot be stressed enough. Perhaps some of you have seen commercials or YouTube videos as part of AT&T’s campaign to combat accidents involving texting while driving. These videos are heart wrenching, as individuals have life swept out from under them in a fraction of a second—much less time than it takes to respond to a text.

It seems that even heavy fines and even jail time are not enough to combat this rising trend. Utah is one of the states that has made texting and driving entirely illegal, stamping a $750 fine and up to three months in jail for simply engaging in the act. If another is injured in the accident, a fine of up to $10,000 and a possible 15 years could be staring you in the face.

It is the role of the law to hold such persons accountable, and is able to levy a significant toll upon the lives of such individuals. It is the role of a car accident lawyer to ensure that victims of such acts do not bear the financial burden for these accidents they did not cause. If you have been the victim of the negligent driving of another, call Christensen & Hymas today (801) 506-0800 to make sure you are compensated. Life may sometimes be unfair, but we will ensure you receive fair compensation for your injuries and suffering.