17-Year-Old Drunk Driver Causes Multiple Accidents While Uncle Violates Social Host Laws

Wrecked car

On Monday, August 12, a Selden teen was accused of drunk driving and fleeing the scene of multiple accidents according to police. One of the accidents allegedly involved an 80-year-old woman. According to reports, 17-year-old Christina Burns spent the night at her aunt and uncle’s house in Bohemia. When Burns left the house around 6:50 a.m. the next morning, she first hit a mailbox and drove through a lawn before hitting 80-year-old Che Young who was walking on the sidewalk.

From there, Burns left the scene while Young was transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore. She was in critical condition and had a head injury. Police also say that after Burns left the scene, she was involved in another accident thirty minutes later at the intersection of Route 347 and Route 25 in Nesconset. It was at the scene of this accident that officers charged her with driving while intoxicated.

At this point officers were able to link the two crashes, and Burns was subsequently charged with fleeing the scene of an accident which involved serious physical injury. Burns failed a field sobriety test and admitted to drinking throughout her cousin’s graduation party. Burns’s bail was set at $30,000 and has since been paid.

In addition to her charges, Barns’s 50-year-old uncle, Francis Rogalle, has been charged with violating Suffolk County social host laws. Social host liability is a legal concept which holds party hosts responsible for when a guest harms another invitee due to intoxication. Many hosts ignore these laws and risk significant legal ramifications such as large fines and potential jail time. Social host laws apply equally to homeowners, renters, and anyone who provides alcohol to invited guests. Rogalle is expected to be arraigned at a later date.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of a drunk driver or are interested in learning more about social host laws, do not hesitate to contact the Goldstein & Bashner Law Firm. Our attorneys are experienced in a wide variety of practices, including car accidents, and may be able to help your claim.

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