Patrick Mellan, 17, of Lakeland, FL is charged with two counts of DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI inflicting serious bodily injury. According to the Lakeland Ledger, Mellan was the driver in a deadly car accident on October 10, 2008 that claimed the life of two young men and left two others seriously injured.
Mellan, who was sixteen-years-old at the time, was driving eastbound on the Polk Parkway when he lost control of his 2007 Ford Mustang. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the vehicle was traveling approximately seventy-nine miles per hour when it veered onto the south shoulder and then struck a palm tree and a utility pole. Passenger Keenan Mullings, 16, of Lakeland, FL was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Passenger Warren Williams, 27, of Plant City, FL later died of serious injuries at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Passenger, Eddie E.J. Gallon, 17, is now a paraplegic. Passenger Derrick Austin, 19, also sustained serious injuries.
Authorities say Mellan's blood alcohol level was nearly double the legal limit for drivers age twenty-one or older. Drivers under the age of twenty-one with any amount of alcohol in their blood are automatically deemed to be under the influence.
Mellan is being charged as an adult. He was released from the Polk County Jail on bond with conditions.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among teens in the U.S. Another study, performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicates that although young individuals, ages 15-24, account for only 14% of the population, they represent 30% of the total cost of auto injuries in males and 28% in females.
Teens at a higher risk for car crashes are:
• Male drivers
• Teens driving with teen passengers
• Newly licensed teens
In my practice as a Polk County, FL injury lawyer, I represent victims injured in motor vehicle accidents. When the injuries are caused by a drunk driver who is convicted of the offense, the victim may recover punitive damages. Under some circumstances, it may also be possible to pursue a claim against the entity that sold or served alcohol to the drunk driver.
