Banks Township, PA (June 7, 2026) – A 19-year-old McAdoo woman was killed early Saturday morning when the car she was riding in went off the road in Banks Township, Carbon County, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Troopers say the crash happened around 12:15 a.m. at East Main Street near Lincoln Circle. The vehicle was traveling westbound when it lost control while navigating a curve to the left, according to police. The car dropped down an embankment and struck several trees on the driver’s side. The Carbon County Coroner said the vehicle flipped onto its side following the impact.
Perla Decena Castillo, 19, of McAdoo, was a passenger in the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and a second passenger sustained minor injuries and were taken to a hospital in Hazleton, according to State Police.
State Police say they believe the driver was suspected of driving under the influence at the time of the crash. The investigation is ongoing.
This is a developing story — details may change as the investigation progresses.
What Passengers and Families Need to Know After a Fatal DUI Crash in Pennsylvania
Perla Decena Castillo was a passenger. She did nothing wrong. Under Pennsylvania law, her family — and the other injured passenger — have clear legal rights against the driver responsible for this crash.
- Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for wrongful death is two years from the date of death under 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524. That deadline is June 7, 2028. Acting sooner — not later — protects the family’s claim and preserves the evidence needed to support it.
- An innocent passenger killed in a DUI crash has one of the strongest personal injury claims under Pennsylvania law. The driver owed every occupant of that vehicle a duty of care. Driving while impaired is a direct breach of that duty. The family of a passenger killed as a result has a well-established path to a wrongful death claim.
- The other injured passenger also has a personal injury claim. Surviving passengers injured in a DUI crash — even with minor injuries — can pursue compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages under Pennsylvania law. Minor injuries at the scene can develop into significant conditions in the days and weeks that follow.
- A DUI arrest or conviction strengthens a civil claim, but is not required. The civil case does not wait for the criminal process. Even if the driver is never formally charged or convicted, the evidence available — toxicology results, field sobriety records, police reports, witness accounts — can establish negligence under the civil standard of proof, which is lower than the criminal threshold.
Perla was 19 years old. Her family deserves answers — and they deserve full accountability from everyone whose actions contributed to her death.
Contact Our Pennsylvania Wrongful Death Attorneys
At Stanley Law Offices, our wrongful death attorneys and personal injury lawyers have spent more than 45 years fighting for families in Pennsylvania and New York after crashes caused by impaired and negligent drivers. When a passenger is killed in a DUI crash, we pursue every source of compensation — the driver’s insurance, any dram shop liability, and any other party whose negligence contributed to the loss.
We handle DUI wrongful death and personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis — no upfront costs, no fees unless we recover compensation. Here is why families across Pennsylvania and Upstate New York trust us:
- 45+ years representing the seriously injured and bereaved across New York and Pennsylvania
- 4.7 stars across 900+ verified client reviews
- Millions recovered in verdicts and settlements
- $3.2 million trial verdict and a $1 million verdict for clients whose cases went to court
- Available 24/7 — home and hospital visits available when you cannot come to us
- Se habla Español — bilingual services available
- No recovery, no fee — ever
Call 1-800-608-3333 — Free Consultation Today, or contact us online — we respond promptly, and there is no obligation. Se habla Español.
