Man Charged with DUI after Pedestrian Accident in Buckhannon

February 2, 2011 - Buckhannon, W.Va. - A weekend accident sent two women to the hospital and one man to jail.

WDTV reports that the pedestrian accident happened early Sunday morning on College Avenue in Buckhannon. Michael Savilla, 19, had allegedly been driving drunk when his vehicle struck two female pedestrians.

Both women were injured in the accident. One of the female victims was taken to a local hospital and has since been treated for injuries and released. The second woman suffered head injuries and was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital. The extent of her injuries is unknown.

The identities of the injured women have not yet been released.

Savilla was arrested immediately following the accident. According to the news report, his charges include DUI with injury and underage drinking. As of Monday afternoon, Savilla was being held in the Tygart Regional Jail on a $75,000 bond.

The pedestrian accident remains under investigation. All further investigations are being handled by the Buckhannon Police Department.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2009 West Virginia Crash Statistics show that there were 356 fatalities as a result of car accidents in West Virginia.

In an effort to raise awareness of common factors in serious and fatal car accidents in West Virginia, our firm routinely publishes news items about traffic crashes in our region.

Common West Virginia accidents include, but are not limited to:

• single-car crashes;
• tractor-trailer accidents;
• accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
• distracted driver crashes.

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