Woman Arrested For DUI in Kern County Fatal Crash

Managing Partner

December 22, 2020

4 min read

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A woman was arrested for DUI in Kern County and faces multiple charges in connection with a fatal crash that occurred on the night of Tuesday, December 15. She was found to be driving under the influence at the time.

According to the details shared by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the crash involved a head-on collision between two vehicles. One of these vehicles was traveling eastbound along Highway 46. The other was headed westbound. The two collided head-on with each other just near Wasco.

One of the vehicles had two occupants in it at the time of the incident. The driver was identified by KCSO as Donald Frank Steinhaus, 43. Steinhaus sustained critical injuries in the crash and died of his injuries. Once the first responders and deputies from KSCO reached the scene of the crash, Steinhaus was pronounced dead.

The passenger traveling with Steinhaus suffered moderate injuries. Paramedics transported the injured passenger to an area hospital for further treatment.

The other vehicle involved in the crash only had one occupant in it, the driver. She was identified as Margaret Fladhammer, 61, of Oceano, California. Fladhammer sustained only minor injuries in the collision.

Once the deputies reached the scene, they found that Fladhammer had been driving under the influence. It was her vehicle that veered away from its lane into the path of the oncoming traffic, thereby causing the crash. Based on the initial investigations and the findings, Fladhammer was arrested. Deputies also recovered controlled substances from her vehicle.

A number of charges were brought against the woman arrested for DUI in Kern County. These include gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, and driving under the influence of drugs resulting in bodily injury. Fladhammer may serve several years in prison for these charges.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a traffic incident, contact our California car accident attorneys for help or guidance.

Source: https://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/kcso-investigating-deadly-crash-in-wasco-one-dead

AUTHOR

Kevin received both his bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of California, Irvine. He is the managing partner of Text Kevin Accident Attorneys and is recognized as a standout in plaintiffs’ litigation for personal injury law by Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected legal peer-review publisher. Kevin has written for several law magazines and is an award-winning car accident lawyer in California.

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