On the early morning of June 20, Jackass star Ryan Dunn was fatally injured in a Pennsylvania car crash in Chester County.
Dunn, who is known for his roles on MTV shows Jackass, Viva La Bam and Homewrecker, was driving dangerously under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
As he was speeding in the westbound lanes of the Route 322 bypass, in West Goshen Township at speeds of approximately 130 mph, he lost control of his Porsche 911 GT3. Nearly 150 feet of skid marks suggest that Dunn may have been trying to exit the roadway at the Pottstown Pike exit, but failed to navigate the turn.
The Porsche careened through a guardrail, tumbled down a wooded ravine, crashed into a tree and burst into flames. It is impossible to determine whether Dunn and his passenger, Zachary Hartwell, 30, of West Chester, were killed by the impact or the flames.
Dunn’s blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.196, which is over twice the legal limit. After thorough analysis of bar tabs, videos, photos and witness statements, investigators have been lead to believe that Dunn consumed 11 drinks – 3 beers and 8 shots of liquor – before getting behind the wheel and driving away.
Under Pennsylvania dram shop laws, establishments which continue to serve alcohol to inebriated individuals may be held legally responsible; however, Barnaby’s of America in West Chester, PA – the bar at which Dunn and his friends were drinking – is not likely to be held liable for the death of Dunn and Hartwell as examination of surveillance video does not show Dunn to be visibly intoxicated.
This crash fully shows the devastation that driving while under the influence can cause. The Bucks County accident attorneys at Cordisco & Saile are saddened to hear of the loss of such a talented entertainer and offer our sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time.
