The grandson of Mike Shannon was involved in an auto accident on Sunday and charged with DWI. According to St. Louis police, 31-year-old Justin N. VanMatre was operating his vehicle when he struck another vehicle at around 9:30 p.m. Authorities arrived at the scene of the accident at Fourth Street and Poplar Street to a woman claiming her vehicle had been struck by another driver that was stopped nearby. That driver was VanMatre who had passed out behind the wheel of his car. As officers woke VanMatre and asked for his driver’s license, he handed them the vehicle manual insisting it was the information they were requesting. He admitted to drinking and a breathalyzer test confirmed that his blood alcohol was .289 percent, over three times the legal limit. On Monday, VanMatre was charged with driving while intoxicated and his punishment may be harsh considering he was placed on a one-year probation stemming from another alcohol related incident. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident.
Millions of individuals enjoy consuming alcoholic beverages responsibly, but when those individuals make the irresponsible decision to operate a vehicle after several drinks, they are committing one of the most deadly actions of negligence. If an intoxicated driver caused an auto accident in which you suffered injuries or lost a loved one, you should seek the advice of a DUI accident attorney to obtain the justice you deserve.
The St. Louis DUI accident attorneys at Meyerkord & Kurth are passionate about holding the individuals who are responsible for your damages accountable. Our attorneys have handled thousands of accident cases and have the resources to obtain the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact us if you have been injured or lost a loved one in a DUI accident and we will provide a free consultation.