A man was recently arrested for a three-vehicle accident he caused in early December in Hampton Township, Pennsylvania. On December 11, the 32-year-old man was speeding and lost control of his Honda Civic. As a result, his car entered the opposite lane of the street and hit two other cars. The impact killed his passenger, a 28-year-old woman.

No one else was injured in the accident, and police had to wait months for his toxicology reports to come back. When they did, they indicated that the driver tested positive for cannabinoids at the time of the car accident, which means he had used marijuana recently. His charges include vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter, and driving under the influence.

Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana

This fatal car accident took place in Pennsylvania, where medical marijuana is legal, but recreational marijuana is not. It's unclear if the driver in question has a medical marijuana card or if he obtained the drug illegally for recreational use. But either way, it is illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana in that state, just as it is in states where recreational marijuana is legal—including Colorado.

After all, marijuana has several intoxicating effects that do not mix well with safe driving. For example, they might include:

• Drowsiness
• Paranoia
• Slower reaction time
• Watery, red eyes
• Inaccurate sense of time
• Altered perception of sights and sounds
• Lowered inhibitions
• Bad decision making
• Decreased motor skills
• Distractibility
• Loss of consciousness
• Hallucinations

Of course, the effects vary depending on the dose, type of plant, method of ingestion, and when it was taken, among other factors. But as you can see, even just a few of the minor side effects of marijuana can make it difficult to drive safely. This is why marijuana and driving should never be mixed.

What To Do If You Were Hit by a Driver Who Was Under the Influence

If you were involved in a car accident in Colorado, and you know or even just suspect the driver was under the influence of marijuana, it's time to contact a Denver DUI lawyer. Whether you were left with serious injuries and related medical bills or damage to your car, you deserve compensation from the at-fault driver. And if he or she was under the influence of a mind-altering substance at the time of the auto accident in Denver, you have good reason to proceed with a DUI case.

It's important to talk to a lawyer who is well-versed in Colorado DUI cases first, though. An experienced attorney can help you gather all the evidence needed to prove the at-fault driver should not have been behind the wheel. This might include police reports, witness statements, and the results of multiple tests, such as field sobriety, blood, and urine.

The sooner you collect this kind of evidence for your case, the better, so be sure to sit down with a Denver car accident lawyer as soon after the accident as possible. You should be able to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case, so contact a local legal office as soon as you can to get started!