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Camp Pendleton Marine Sentenced in Fatal Newport Beach Drunk Driving Accident

A Camp Pendleton marine will send 15 years in prison for causing a drunk driving accident in Newport Beach that killed a doctor and seriously injured his wife.

On the day of the crash, February 22^nd 2008, Lance Corporal Elijah Leigh Ferguson was driving a car home to Santa Ana, Orange County. He had been drinking, and had planned to sleep off the alcohol at the marine base, but changed his plans. His friends tried disparately to prevent him from driving home in an intoxicated condition by taking away his keys. However, later that night, he bullied a private into giving him the keys and began to drive off home.

Ferguson got lost on his way to Santa Ana. On Macarthur Boulevard, his car rear ended an Aston Martin carrying Dr. Michael Sein and his wife Grace. Dr. Sein died in the accident, and his wife was seriously injured. On December 9^th, Ferguson was convicted on charges of drunk driving and second degree murder.

Ferguson’s lawyers have blamed the accident on the post traumatic stress disorder that the marine developed after he returned from Iraq. The lawyers asked for a lesser sentence in light of the fact that he had developed the stress-related disorder. His lawyers called for probation which would allow the marine to be treated for post traumatic stress disorder in San Diego.

The Sein family had asked for the maximum sentence of 21 years in prison for Ferguson.  Dr. Sein’s family, including his two sons, daughter and widow addressed the judge before the sentencing. Grace Sein told the judge of the severe physical and emotional pain she continues to feel since the day of the crash.

Post traumatic stress disorder is a condition that California auto accident lawyers sometimes see in survivors of serious auto or truck accidents.  This condition develops after a person has been through a life threatening situation, like a major accident, explosion, violent assault, or a natural disaster. Symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder are frequently confused with depression or a general feeling of being low, which may be expected after a serious accident. However, PTSD symptoms are more serious, and may include several other signs like flashbacks, memory problems, loss of concentration, social withdrawal, mood changes etc.  These symptoms can impact a person’s ability to live a normal life.  Development of post traumatic stress disorder has been seen in many of the Iraqi vets returning home from military duty.

However, it’s also important to note that hundreds of men and women have returned home from active duty in Iraq. Not all of these people will display the kind of recklessness that Ferguson showed on the day of the accident. Ferguson had several chances to avoid driving home drunk and sleep off his inebriation at the base. Instead, he pulled rank on a private, grabbed his car keys and set off home when he was in no condition to drive, leaving an innocent man and his wife to pay the price for his recklessness.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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