A pedestrian on San Diego's State Route 94 who was killed last week has recently been identified.
Patrick Edward Crowe, 51, was the victim of the fatal pedestrian accident in San Diego when he was reportedly dancing on the shoulder of highway state Route 94 when he ran into traffic last week was identified on Tuesday by the Medical Examiner's Officer.
Continue reading "Fatal San Diego Pedestrian Accident on State Route 94" »
A San Diego man lost his SUV, phone, and wallet to an armed carjacker in the early morning hours in south San Diego on Sunday morning.
The driver was heading home around 5 a.m. when a man with a gun confronted him while he was at a stop sign near Imperial Avenue and 54th Street in Emerald Hills, according to police. The gunman got in and then ordered the driver to drive around. When they reached Hanna Street near 54th Street, the gunman took the driver's cell phone and wallet and then ordered him out of the car before he sped off in it.
You can read more about this San Diego car theft and carjacking in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.
Continue reading "San Diego Car Theft and Carjacking Near Imperial Avenue" »
The case involving off-duty San Diego Police Officer Frank White has finally been settled. On Monday, a jury found Officer White not guilty in this road-rage car accident that occurred in Oceanside in March of 2008 that culminated in the shooting of a woman and her young son. Officer White, 29, was acquitted of a felony count of grossly negligent discharge of a firearm and a misdemeanor count of exhibiting a firearm.
Prosecutors of the case argued that White was an easily-angered man who had no justification for not only displaying his revolver, but also firing five rounds into Rachel Silva's car at night on March 15, 2008. Silva had been struck twice in the arm and her son was struck in the leg. Deputy District Attorney Jeff Dusek noted that as a trained police officer, White should have taken other steps to diffuse the situation that brought about the shootings. White had been off-duty and not in uniform at the time it happened, and his wife Jacquellyn was reportedly with him at the time.
You can read more about this Oceanside car accident and road rage incident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.
The victim of the Normal Heights hit-and-run fatality in San Diego County previously reported on by the Jurewitz Law Group (Police Search for Suspect in Fatal San Diego Hit-and-Run Car Accident)has recently been identified. Yesterday, the man killed while walking across the 3200 block of Meade Ave at 1:30 a.m. was made known to be Carl Marvin Duresseau, 53.
Duresseau suffered massive head injuries when he was hit by a car traveling eastbound on Meade Avenue, after which the vehicle that hit him sped off. Duresseau died at the scene. The only details known of the car was that it was a newer white hatchback. You can read more about this San Diego pedestrian accident in this 10news.com story.
Continue reading "Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident Victim Identified" »
San Diego police are searching for the driver of a car that allegedly left the scene of the fatal hit-and-run auto accident that occurred early Sunday morning in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego.
The victim of the accident, who is only known so far as a male in his 30s, was struck and killed just after 1:30 a.m. around the 3200 block of Meade Ave. The victim was hit by another vehicle and the victim suffered massive head injuries before being declared dead at the scene. There was no reported license plate of the suspected car that drove off, it was only described as a newer white hatchback. You can read more about this pedestrian accident in San Diego in this Examiner.com story.
Continue reading "Police Search for Suspect in Fatal San Diego Hit-and-Run Car Accident" »
A woman on a bicycle coming home from a bar on the morning of June 12, 2009, in Encinitas was severly injured when she was hit by a van. The victim and her girlfriend were riding their bikes home on southbound Pacific Coast Highway 101 near Chesterfield Drive when the victim was struck.
The van's driver was driving an older tan colored box-shaped van. He initially got out of his vehicle and told the victim's girlfriend that he would move his van to a safer location and return to help, but he never did. The sergeant reports that the man was last seen driving towards Solana Beach. Paramedics that arrived on the scene took the victim to Scripps La Jolla Hospital for treatment. You can read more about this hit-and-run Encinitas bicycle accident in this 10news.com story.
Continue reading "Hit and Run Driver Injures Encinitas Bicycle Rider" »
A 10-year-old boy was hospitalized on Wednesday afternoon while riding his bicycle in the Roseville area of San Diego, according to presiding police. The scene of the accident was on the 1000 block of Catalina Boulevard around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, said San Diego police Sgt Bob Dare. The boy was hospitalized with a broken hip, leg, and ankle in this San Diego bike accident.
Details released on this tragedy inform us that the boy had been riding his bicycle on a sidewalk when he was struck by a motorist pulling out of a parking lot. Alcohol did not appear to be a factor. Nevertheless, the neighborhood boy remains in the hospital today from the result of negligence. You can read more about this San Diego bicycle accident in this 10news.com story.
Continue reading "San Diego Boy Hospitalized After Being Hit by Car While Riding His Bicycle" »
In January of 2006, Derek Ritter was only 48 years old when he was hit by a San Diego car driver high on methamphetamines, killing Ritter and leaving behind a fatherless family. Now, his surviving children are determined to publicize the tragedy, and bring light to the consequences of driving while under influences.
Ritter's children, son Kevin and daughter Kara, are fighting to keep influenced drivers off the road, and to let those who hand them the keys and allow them to drive be held responsible as well. Kara Ritter has a strong viewpoint on this matter. "Everybody in society has a role to be responsible, and if you make an irresponsible decision you need to be held accountable," she says.
Dean Osuna was the man driving on meth down Highway 78 when he crossed the median and killed Ritter. Though he spent time in jail, a jury now says that Osuna and his girlfriend, who had given him the keys to drive, owe Ritter's family $1.8 million. The Ritters' attorney is very adament and pleased with this scenario, as he sees it as a precedent-setting decision to hold the driver and his enabler accountable, and will affect future generations who may make similar poor decisions when hitting the road. If you would like to read more about this San Diego auto accident, read this 10news.com story.
Continue reading "Victim's Family Seeks to Educate About San Diego DUI Car Accidents" »
On Friday, May 15th, 2009, 5,200 cyclists participated in San Diego's designated Bike to Work day. This is a great way to reduce the use our gasoline and greenhouse gas emissions, but the event had a rough onset when a 43-year-old man was struck by a car on Wednesday while riding his bicycle in Valley Center. Later identified as Jose Mejia, the bicyclist was fatally injured on Valley Center Road near Cole Grade Road after he swerved into the path of the vehicle.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office did not come to any conclusions on the reasons why the bicyclist lose control. Paramedics who arrived on the scene took Mejia to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, but he died at 8:45 p.m. while there on Thursday from brain injuries suffered according to the medical examiner's office.
Continue reading "Valley Center Bicyclist Dies in San Diego County Bicycle Accident" »
Marcos Garcia Jeronimo, 23, an illegal immigrant from Oaxaca, Mexico had already been convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter in connection with a San Diego hit-and-run car accident resulting in the death of bicycle rider Marcelo Bolom, 23, of San Diego. On Wednesday, Jeronimo pleaded guilty to having run over Bloom last August in Mira Mesa and dragging his body more than 500 feet. Jeronimo was placed on three years' probation.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Melinda Lasater ordered that Jeronimo spend a year in county jail for the charge, although she acknowledged that he has credit for more than 380 days and is expected to be released immediately.
Jeronimo now faces deportation, although if he crosses the international border into the United States again, he could be sent to prison.
Continue reading "Illegal Immigrant Pleads Guilty for Causing Fatal San Diego Bicycle Accident" »
A Carlsbad pedestrian accident occurred Sunday, May 3, at the intersection of El Camino Real and Kelly Drive in Carlsbad when a pedestrian was struck by car just before 8:30 p.m. Carlsbad police Sgt. Paul Mendes reported that the Carlsbad pedestrian was taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital with numerous critical injuries.
Continue reading "Carlsbad Pedestrian Seriously Injured After Being Hit by Car" »
You have likely heard about the recent deadly tour bus carrying tourists, mostly from France, from the San Francisco area down to Los Angeles, where they were due to depart back to France. The Orion Pacific tour bus had overturned on a highway overpass in Central California where four passengers were ejected from the bus as it lay in a wreck around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. There were five confirmed deaths from the bus accident.
Photo Gallery with 8 total images from KTLA News
A new detail reveals that the American driver, John Egnew, 69, of Corona in Riverside County, had been involved in another accident about three years ago. The Associated Press found evidence that in 2005, Egnew struck a 71-year-old woman in Las Vegas as she was crossing the street with her husband, leaving the woman with serious injuries. Egnew claimed that he didn't see the pedestrian on the road. You can read more about this Central California bus accident in this KTLA news story.
Highland resident Benjamin Lobato Huante, 49, who was an entomologist working in San Diego County in Fallbrook on Wednesday, was killed after his car tumbled off of a cliff more than 100 feet, and died.
Huante had been setting traps for insects around the avocado trees in the area for study had been in an all-terrain vehicle that crashed when he overcompensated and fell down a cliff around 11 a.m. San Diego County sheriff's and coroner's officials reported that Huarte died at the scene, as noted on the county coroner's Web site.
The victim of the San Diego County auto accident worked for Integrated Growers Service of Escondido, as Dean Fryer, a spokesman for the California Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Occupational Safety and Health said. You can read more about this San Diego auto accident in this MercuryNews.com story.
Continue reading "Highland Entomologist Killed in San Diego County ATV Accident" »
Many an accident on the road that cause injuries or even fatalities are not due to unsafe exterior conditions or even the irresponsibility of other drivers nearby. A lot of times, the fault lies in the interior conditions of our vehicles and, more often than not, fatigue.
Prompted by the charter bus accident in Utah in January 2008 that resulted in 51 of the riders to be ejected from the vehicle into the wintry night, nine of whom died and forty-three others who were injured, the National Transportation and Safety Board recently attributed the accident as relating to the fatigue of the 71 year-old bus driver who had underestimated his speed and had a slowed reaction time.
Continue reading "Fatigue Significant Factor in San Diego Car, Bus, Motorcycle Accidents" »
The morning commute is a busy time for San Diego roads and many San Diegans are usually in a rush to make it to work on time. San Diego students are usually on their way to school at around the same time. Many of them ride the bus, a rather safe means of transportation. That expected safety that comes from being a passenger in a huge yellow vehicle with lights was compromised twice last Friday morning. Two San Diego Unified School District buses were struck by cars in unrelated auto accidents.
A California Highway Patrol dispatch reported the first accident at 6:59 a.m. In this first accident, a van backed into a parked school bus on 54th and Pirotte Drive in the Chollas Creek neighborhood of San Diego. The bus had 23 passengers on it.
The California Highway Patrol reported the second accident just three minutes later in the neighboring San Diego neighborhood of Emerald Hills. At Bayview Heights Drive and Federal Boulevard. A truck struck a school bus at a stop sign carrying 15 passengers.
Continue reading "Two San Diego Unified School District Buses Involved in Accidents" »
Mario De La Rosa, 21, of the San Diego neighborhood of Serra Mesa had been driving his Toyota Camry significantly above the speed limit in the early hours just after midnight on Saturday, April 4th with his brother and passenger, Paul Albert Alferos Jr., 19, of San Diego, when he crashed into a telephone pole.
San Diego Police Department Sgt Alan Hayward reported that the fatal San Diego auto accident occurred on the 2900 block of Clairemont Drive. Alcohol had not been ruled out as a cause of the accident, but it remains unknown what caused De La Rosa to lose control of the vehicle and swerve off the road. Alteros had been unrestrained in the backseat and authorities declared him dead on the scene. Paramedics took De La Rosa to the hospital, where he later died. You can read more about this San Diego car crash in this NBCSanDiego.com story or this SanDiego6.com story.
The identification of the men in this early April car wreck were not originally released pending notification of their families. A memorial was then set up for them, including make-shift cross and memorial marker for the site of the fatal San Diego car accident.
Continue reading "Memorial Set for Men Killed in San Diego Car Accident" »
A 90-year-old Chula Vista pedestrian was hit by a car nearby Broadway and Park Way in on April 1st at approximately 8 p.m. According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office, the man was taken off life-support on Saturday afternoon because of the deterioration of his medical status. The Chula Vista pedestrian suffered a head injury with internal bleeding. You can read more in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.
The victim's identity was not made public so that San Diego County officials could notify the family about the death.
Continue reading "Chula Vista Pedestrian Dies After Being Struck by Car" »
The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office reported last week that a 9-year-old boy was struck by a car near Riverview Elementary School in Lakeside. The boy was walking along Winter Gardens Boulevard south of Knoll Crest Place around 4 p.m. on April 6, 2009, when the fatal Lakeside pedestrian accident happened. The boy was taken to Rady Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. His name has not been released. You can read more about this Lakeside car accident in this 10news.com story.
Continue reading "Lakeside Child Pedestrian Hit by Car, Dies" »
Baseball fans the world over are mourning the loss of Nick Adenhart, who was killed in a hit-and-run auto accident early Thursday morning in Fullerton. Adenhart, 22, was a starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and just struck out five batters over six innings in the Wednesday game against the Oakland A's. You can read more about this Orange County car accident in this Yahoo! Sports story.
Adenhart had been riding in a silver Mitsubishi when a mini-van ran a red light and struck the vehicle, causing it to crash into a light pole. The driver of the minivan fled the scene but police later arrested Andrew Thomas Gallo, 22, presumed to be charged with a felony of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter. Two others riding in the car with Adenhart died on the scene, while Adenhart was rushed to the hospital at the UC Irvine Medical center, and died during surgery.
Continue reading "Angels Pitcher Killed in Fullerton Drunk Driving Car Accident" »
The San Diego City Attorney's Office is considering pressing charges against the San Diego Chargers lineman, Jamal Williams, for driving his car under the influence of alcohol.
Jamal Williams was arrested on February 1, 2009, on State Route 94 on the suspicion of drunk driving after he was pulled over for speeding in his Bentley. However, when Williams took the blood test his BAC was just under the illegal limit at .07%. The California Highway Patrol administered the test well after the arrest. That means that he could have been intoxicated while driving. You can read more in this 10news.com story.
Continue reading "San Diego Charger Defensive Lineman Jamal Williams May Face DUI Charges" »
A fixed gear bicycle rider was injured when he crashed into the back of a truck on Adams Avenue in the North Park area of San Diego. The bicyclist was riding along Adams Avenue when he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror that was attached to a truck. The truck was delivering the large mirror to a house in Kensington from North Park Glass and Mirror and was stopped at a red light. The rider of the "fixie" bicycle was wearing a vintage, Italian racing cap and when he saw himself in the mirror he could not help but admire the view.
This moment of vanity caused the bicyclist to stop paying attention to the road and crash into the stationary truck. He hit the truck at nearly 30 mph, partly because fixed gear bicycles have no brakes. When the bicycle rider crashed into the truck, he shattered the mirror and seriously injured himself. The cyclist was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital where he is expected to fully recover. You can read more about this San Diego bicycle accident in this San Diego City Beat story.
Continue reading "San Diego Bicycle Accident Caused by Rider's Inattention, Vanity" »
Earlier this week, we posted this article on our San Diego Car Accident Lawyer Blog about a car driver under the influence of drugs who struck a bicycle rider.
When that article was written, it was brought to light that many San Diegans do not know the difference between driving under the influence of drugs and driving under the influence of alcohol. Essentially there is no difference. However, there is one slight difference in the consequences and a difference in the way that the offense is proven.
When a suspect is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, a measurement of a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% that can be used to determine whether the suspect has had too much to drink or not. If the suspect has a BAC of .08% or higher then there is a "per se" offense--that is, a strict breaking of the law--and the driver can be charged. When the suspect is driving under the influence of drugs, there is no BAC and therefore no "per se" offense. The DMV is therefore not able to administratively suspend the license of a suspect driving under the influence of drugs. However, the driver's license may be suspended as a criminal conviction.
Chemical testing is the second way in which the two offenses differ. As stated above, the standard way for San Diego police officer to test for alcohol in a car driver's system is to use a breathalyzer. However, a breath test cannot register the presence of drugs in the suspects system. If a San Diego police officer suspects that the driver is under the influence of drugs then a blood test may be taken, and sometimes a urine test.
When prosecuted, the suspect may have the arresting officer's comments used against him as evidence. The San Diego police officer may comment on the suspect's physical appearance, performance with field sobriety tests, erratic driving, incriminating statements, and his or her conduct.
Continue reading "Driving Under The Influence Of Drugs In San Diego" »
When cars driven by drunk drivers strike pedestrians in San Diego County, the result is never good. Unfortunately that was the case again this past Sunday, March 22, when Ester Quinette Monroe, 28, of Spring Valley, was struck by a suspected drunk driver as she walked on Broadway between C and D Streets in Chula Vista. You can read more about this Chula Vista car accident here in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.
The 2 a.m. Chula Vista pedestrian accident caused Monroe to be rushed to the hospital where she passed away. The 26-year-old female car driver was arrested of driving under the influence.
Continue reading "Pedestrian Struck by Car, Killed in Chula Vista Accident" »
A San Diego bicycle accident took place at the intersection of Genesee Avenue and Linda Vista Road on Friday, March 20, shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the Linda Vista area of San Diego. A car hit the bike rider, leaving him severely injured and forcing the closure of the intersection.
The San Diego Police Department reported that the bicyclist was taken by San Diego paramedics to a hospital for treatment. An investigation was started after the San Diego bicycle accident.
Continue reading "San Diego Bicycle Accident Causes Serious Injury" »
A 7 year-old-boy was hit by a Volvo station wagon driven by a 59 year-old-woman at about 5:20 p.m. on March 18 in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego. The boy was skateboarding in the parking lot of an apartment complex when he was hit by the car. The boy slid under the car and broke several of his bones including a broken pelvis, fibula, and tibia. The woman was not hurt. You can read more in this 10news.com story.
When driving through a neighborhood or a residential area, San Diego car drivers must make sure to drive slowly and pay attention to any children that might be playing in the area. Many times, children will be more enthralled in whatever game they are playing than in whether cars are driving by or not. Therefore, it is up to us as San Diego car drivers to be cautious and aware of children playing.
Continue reading "San Diego Boy Hit by Car and Seriously Injured in Carmel Valley" »
On March 17, just before 7:30 a.m., an 82-year-old San Diego pedestrian was struck crossing Kramer Street in the Linda Vista area of San Diego. 21-year-old eastbound driver said that at the time of the car accident the sun was in her eyes and did not see the pedestrian crossing. The San Diego Police Department reported that the pedestrian, who was in the crosswalk when he was hit, was taken to the hospital for treatment of "very critical", possibly life threatening, injuries. You can learn more in this San Diego Fox 6 story.
When driving during the day, especially during sunrise and sunset, San Diego drivers should make sure to wear sunglasses. They will not only protect the eyes from UV rays but they will make the glare less powerful and give them more visibility, making them safer drivers.
If you or someone you know has ever been injured or killed while walking across the street, please contact the San Diego pedestrian accident attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group at 619-233-5020 or contact them online.
On March 12, a man driving a black Volkswagen Jetta caused a serious San Diego car accident after he ran a red light on Seventh Avenue and collided with a San Diego MTS bus that was eastbound on Broadway. The driver of the Jetta initially denied running the red light but after several witnesses reported otherwise, the investigating San Diego Police officers concluded that he indeed ran the light. You can read more in this San Diego Reader article.
Seven San Diego MTS bus passengers and the driver of the Jetta were taken to the hospital after officials from the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Fire Department, and other San Diego medical services came to the scene.
Continue reading "Car Crashes into MTS Bus in Downtown San Diego" »
On Thursday, March 12, at about 5 p.m., a 19-year-old teenage drunk driver was heading southbound on North Indiana Avenue in the North San Diego County city of Vista. The teen failed to stop before the turn, which caused the car to hit the curb and blow a tire out. The car then accelerated and crashed into the Vista Clock Tower. According to this story, right after the car crash, the driver took off leaving his 16-year-old injured passenger behind.
San Diego Sheriff's Deputy Laura Hurtado said that the passenger, riding in the front seat, suffered a cut lip and burns from the deployed air bag.
The drunk driver was arrested a short distance away and was taken to the hospital where he was treated for injuries on his forehead. The teen driver has been booked on charges of driving under the influence, felony hit-and-run, and child endangerment.
On Friday, March 6, at approximately 6:30 a.m., a motorcyclist was riding west on Barnett Avenue in the Midway neighborhood of San Diego when a car changed lanes striking the motorcycle with its driver's side door. The motorcycle rider ended up pinned under the car and was later taken to UC San Diego Medical Center after emergency personnel responded to the car accident.
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San Diego authorities did not release much information about the motorcyclist. More information about the motorcycle accident can be found here.
As car drivers, we need to remember to use our mirrors every single time we change lanes. Many people forget that motorcyclists and bicycle riders share the road as well. Also, car drivers should remember that motorcyclists and bicyclists are more difficult to see, which is why we need to make sure to use not only our mirrors, but look over our shoulders as well when changing lanes.
Continue reading "Motorcycle Rider Seriously Injured in San Diego Motorcycle Accident" »
Yesterday we posted a story about an unidentified pedestrian killed in Ramona car crash. Our post can be found here.That pedestrian turned out to be Jens Roger Noet, a 34-year-old man, or, according to 10 news, a "transient." Noet was headed down Main Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets in Ramona on Wednesday when he was fatally struck by a semi-truck.
This information was brought to our attention through 10 news and our hats off to them for providing the story (found here), which helps remind San Diego residents about being cautious when walking next to a street and also when driving. However, it is very unnerving to see that they have the audacity to tag him, not once. but twice as a "transient." Jens Roger Noet was just killed by a truck driver and instead of writing a tactful article about the events they instead belittle him.
As stated yesterday, if the Jurewitz Law Group was asked to represent the pedestrian's family, our lawyers would work diligently to discover the facts about the accident and give Noet, a member of our community, the respect he deserves.
Continue reading "Jens Roger Noet Identified as Man Killed in Ramona Pedestrian Accident" »
An unidentified pedestrian, in the Ramona section of San Diego, was killed after being hit by in a semi-truck accident Wednesday morning while crossing the street.
The accident happened just after 2:30 a.m. when the driver of the truck was heading west on Main Street at the intersection with 7th Street. According to the driver, the pedestrian appeared to come out of nowhere and appeared in front of the truck. The truck driver stopped after the impact and found the man’s body pinned under the truck.
Both lanes of Main Street were closed until 5 a.m. while the California Highway Patrol investigated the accident. At the time of publishing this entry, the cause of the accident was still under investigation.
If our office was approached by the pedestrian's family, we would first have to determine what happened that early morning. We would hire a professional accident investigator and private investigator to track down witnesses and to document the facts of the accident, including sight lines for the truck driver, the traffic controls available at the intersection, and obtaining witness statements. If the pedestrian was in the crosswalk, had the right of way, or even if the driver was not paying attention while he was driving, the pedestrian's family might have a strong case for their wrongful death claim.
Continue reading "Ramona Pedestrian Killed After Being Hit by Truck" »
Early Saturday morning, an unlicensed driver struck and killed a pedestrian, Mohamed Abdirahman Husien, while he was crossing the street in San Diego. The car accident occurred along University Avenue, near Winona Avenue, in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego. Husien was on his way to morning prayer services at a nearby mosque. The news source for this post can be found here.
San Diego Police officers said that Husien was crossing the street against a red light when a Honda sedan hit him. The driver said that he did not see Husein crossing in the darkness. Also, right after the crash, the driver went home, picked up his wife, and returned to the scene to explain what had happened. This is illegal in California--you cannot leave the scene of a California car accident where someone is killed and you must call the police.
Husien was taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest where he passed away.
The intersection of University Avenue and Winona Avenue was closed to motorists until about 9:30 a.m. while the San Diego Police Department investigated the car crash. San Diego Police officers said that they do not know whether the driver will face charges or not, even though he was illegally driving without a driver's license.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for the police and district attorney not to charge an unlicensed driver involved in a serious accident where some facts suggest that the unlicensed driver may not be at-fault for causing the car wreck. According to the news story, it seems Husein may have been at-fault for crossing against a red stop light. Then again, that fact may not be true since the only witness identified in the story is the unlicensed driver. Obviously, it is a very self-serving statement.
A San Diego Police Officer was killed when he was involved in a San Diego motorcycle accident on February 19, 2009, according to this story.
San Diego Police Department Detective Larry Steward was riding his motorcycle on Highway 94 near Marron Valley Road in San Diego County when an SUV hit his motocycle head on. The California Highway Patrol says that the SUV swerved to avoid traffic from a CalTrans construction zone.
This unfortunate car crash should serve as a reminder to all San Diego and California drivers that they need to be cautious when driving in a construction zone. However, Detective Steward might not have died if CalTrans' construction scene was not properly organized and safe for passing drivers. It is a little too early to tell at this point, but if I were to investigate this accident, I'd be very curious as to what specifically caused the SUV driver to swerve and why. If CalTrans had loose equipment where it should not be, or did not properly warn motorists of the danger, CalTrans' might bear some responsibility for Detective Steward's death.
Continue reading "San Diego Police Office Killed in Head-On Motorcycle Crash" »
On the morning of February 7, a 19-year-old woman committed a "hit and run" car accident when her vehicle caused a Mira Mesa bicycle accident near the intersection of Calle Cristobal and Camino Miranda. The bicycle rider, a 51-year-old man, suffered serious injuries to his head, back, and sides.
The woman driver fled the scene of the accident but then returned 30 minutes later. At that time, San Diego Police officers arrested her. At this time, it does not appear that alcohol was involved in causing the hit-and-run car accident.
Continue reading "Hit and Run Driver Arrested After Causing San Diego Bicyle Accident" »
On the morning of February 15, 2009, a pickup truck caused a San Diego bicycle accident when it veered off the road and struck a bicycle rider on Sea World Drive near Friars Road. The driver of the pickup truck appears to have caused the bicycle accident due inattention when he looked down to pick something up from the floor of his truck.
Continue reading "San Diego Bicycle Accident Caused When Truck Struck Bike Rider" »
Sometimes you can't make up the news.
Father Joe Carroll--the San Diego advocate for the poor and homeless--hit two homeless men crossing the street in the crosswalk at the intersection of 16th Street and F Street in Downtown San Diego on January 31.
Isaac McGill and Douglass Edwards, the two homeless men, were carrying their sleeping bags and bundles of clothes when suddenly Carroll's car turned the corner and hit them. McGill reported that he yelled out "Stop the car!" a few times, but he was hit anyway. Carroll pulled over after the accident to address the incident. Carroll contends that the two men appeared all of a sudden and that he was unable to stop the car in time.
Both Edwards and McGill were injured that evening. Edwards was treated at Scripps Mercy Hospital. He was given a protective collar, which he wares when he goes to sleep outdoors at night. McGill was several days later, complaining of pain in a knee, toe, and lower back.
A woman was hit and severely injured an alleged drunk driver as she was crossing the intersection of Reed Avenue and Mission Boulevard in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego.
The driver of the car--Alan Mabrey, 45, of San Diego--initially walked away from the scene but returned later where he was arrested by the San Diego police.
San Diego police officials reported that the accident victim suffered life-threatening head injuries. Mabrey is expected to be charged with felony driving under the influence.
UPDATED (2/10/09): The victim was identified as Emily Cathleen Dowdy. Our prayers go out to her family. If there is anything our office can do, please do not hesitate to ask.
On Monday, February 2, 2009, a Thousand Oaks motorcycle accident seriously injured Ventura County resident, Ambrosio Rodriguez. Mr. Rodriquez was taken to the hospital for his injuries after a Buick driven by Denis Liu pulled out from a parking in front of Rodriguez's motocycle while Rodriguez was driving eastbound on Hillcrest Drive near Boardwalk Avenue.
The impact was so severe that it caused the Buick to overturn and come to rest on its' side. It is very fortunate that Ambrosio Rodriguez was not fatally injured in the accident.
According to the newspaper story, the motorcycle accident happened when Liu drove his Buick out of the parking lot and onto Hillcrest Drive without looking for oncoming traffic. This is a fairly frequent occurrence, but particularly with motorcycles and bicycles who are more difficult to see than cars. It appears that Liu was negligent and should be held responsible for compensating Ambrosio Rodriguez for his injuries.
Our office hope and pray that Mr. Rodriguez fully recovers from his injuries.
This Friday, a judge will review a $8.3 million verdict against the City of San Juan Capistrano awarded to a 14-year-old boy, Trenten Miller, who lost his leg during a bicycle accident.
The judgment was to be finalized last month. However, San Juan Capistrano decided to file an objection to the jury findings and overturn the verdict. Superior Court Judge Thierry Colaw set a hearing to hear the City of San Juan Capistrano’s motion this Friday.
In December, an Orange County jury found that the City of San Juan Capistrano liable to Miller because the City created a dangerous condition at an intersection. Miller was the passenger on his friend Scott Agostini's dirt bike. Overgrown vegetation in the median of the intersection made it difficult for Miller and Agostini to see oncoming traffic as they attempted to cross the intersection of San Juan Creek Road and Paseo Christina.
The jury ruled in favor of the bicyclists, ruling the City of San Juan Capistrano to pay Miller $7.1 million and $1.1 million to Agostini. The verdict was reached three years after the bicycle accident and after Miller unsuccessfully attempted to settle the suit in mediation. Prior to the jury’s verdict, the City of San Juan Capistrano's only offer was $1 million, which Miller rejected.
Late Wednesday night a 69-year-old woman was assaulted and stabbed in the neck with a box cutter by the man who had just rear-ended the car the woman was driving. The surprise attack caused the woman to step on the gas to flee and ended up crashing her car head long into a tree. The car accident happened in the Old Town area of San Diego.
Police described the woman's injuries as not life-threatening, although the attack was--at the very least--terrifying and unexpected. The man is described as a Hispanic male, 20-30 years of age, 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing approximately 160-180 pounds.
This assault is particularly scary and unnerving. By all accounts the woman was willing to exchange insurance information with the man, had rolled down her window, and was then stabbed.
Early in the morning today, a San Diego man was seriously injured when he was struck by a car while crossing the street at the intersection of Genesee Avenue and La Jolla Village Drive in the University Town Center area of La Jolla.
The 70-year-old man was crossing the intersection against a red traffic signal when he was struck by a 1983 Toyota sedan driven by a San Diego woman. The woman had the right of way, saw the man at the last second, but could not stop in time.
The man was transported to the hospital with a fractured left leg.
If you're a pedestrian, please always be careful crossing the street--particularly against a red light. We hope that this gentleman regains his health--fractured bones at his age are particularly serious--but this story provides a reminder of one of the most important rules of the road.
In an effort to reduce car accidents due to negligence and inattentiveness, California has made text messaging while driving effective today.
A similar law passed earlier in the year made it illegal to drive while talking on a cellular phone handset.
In a separate law going into effect today, drivers are now allowed to fix GPS navigation units on the bottom left or right corners of the windshield. Under the previous law, it was illegal to mount a navigation system anywhere on the windshield.
Today is the first day for enforcement of California's Hands Free Cell Phone law.
Starting today, motorists talking on a cell phone without a hands free system will be fined $20 for the first offense and $50 subsequent offenses.
Earlier today, the Jurewitz Law Group launched its' newest information blog, www.sandiegocaraccidentlawyerblog.com, dedicated to provide San Diegans with information about local car accidents, what to do to prevent car accident injuries, how to properly insure yourself prior to being involved in an accident, and what to do once you have been involved in an accident and are injured.
Please take a visit and add an RSS feed to your home page. Also, if you have been injured in a car accident and are seriously injured, please contact the Jurewitz Law Group for help and advice.
In February of this year, the California Court of Appeals extended the protections afforded to medical doctors under the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) to emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who are in the process of transporting patients for medical care.
In the opinion by Justice Madeleine Flier, the Court of Appeal held that such protections were warranted since the services provided by EMTs were "inextricably identified" with the health and medical care of their patients. Further, the Court rejected the argument by the plaintiff, a Los Angeles police officer injured while riding along in the ambulance when it was involved in a collision, that MICRA protections could only be extended to those services to which an EMT was licensed. The court held that EMTs were licensed to provide transportation by the Department of Motor Vehicles' special license and, therefore, were still protected by MICRA when involved in traffic accidents while transporting patients.
Early Saturday morning, alcohol and gross negligence combined to cause a fatal car collision at the intersection of northbound Coast Boulevard and 20th Street in Del Mar, a beautiful beach community north of San Diego.
At 2:00 a.m., a professional surfer, Milton Willis, was driving a car with his passenger, Bradley Dillahunty. Mr. Willis was driving the car at 65 mph in a 25 mph residential zone when he ran the stop sign at 20th Street, the car bottomed out, crossed the southbound lanes of traffic, hit a parked car, then hit a tree, and spun around before striking another parked car in a driveway.
Dillahunty was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Willis, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, was partially ejected from the rear window of the car. He remains in critical condition at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. Accident investigators believe Mr. Willis was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
If Mr. Willis was indeed driving his car under the influence, we hope that he is prosecuted for vehicular manslaughter. In addition, we hope that Mr. Dillahunty's family is compensated for his wrongful death.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident, including one that results in wrongful death, please contact the experienced attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group to learn about your rights.
The video below is disturbing on several levels. First, 78 year-old Angel Torres was struck and seriously injured while crossing a street in Hartford, Connecticut when two vehicles sped down the street and struck him while he was standing in the opposite lane of traffic.
Second, nearby bystanders apparently stood by and did not immediately help the seriously injured man. It is incredible to think that after seeing a man flip in the air after being hit by a speeding car that anyone would hold back their assistance.
We hope that Mr. Torres has a speedy and full recovery. We also hope that the drivers of the two hit-and-run cars are arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Quick little reminder.
On July 1, the California Hands-Free Cell Phone Law goes into effect requiring everyone to use a hands-free system when driving a vehicle. Sending a text message while driving will also be a citable offense.
Although the increased safety of using a hands-free device while driving is debatable--not talking on the phone at all is the safest route--it will be the law. Please make sure to purchase your hands-free device before July 1.
Earlier today, both sides of Ortega Highway, a scenic--but notoriously dangerous--road between San Juan Capistrano and Lake Elsinore, were closed due to a major accident involving six cars and a motorcycle.
An ambulance and tow truck were called to the scene to attend to the victims and their vehicles.
Ortega Highway is the scene of many significant, and deadly, crashes as people drive too fast along the curvy road, stare off into the scenery, or cross over into oncoming traffic.
A bus carrying passengers from Southern California to Laughlin, Nevada for a gambling trip overturned Saturday morning, killing one passenger and injuring 22 others. The bus, operated by Royal American Tours and Charters of Glendale, was seen veering across lanes and into the median shortly before the crash.
At the time of publication, CHP officers were still investigating the cause of the accident.
Under California law, bus drivers are held to a heightened standard of care, known as common-carrier duties. As a common carrier for pay, operators must use the "utmost" care with respect to their passengers, must travel at reasonable rates of speeds, follow prescribed routes, and must treat passengers with respect in their personal dealings.
If you, a friend, or family member have been injured while being a bus, train, or trolley passenger, contact the Jurewitz Law Group and discuss the matter with one of our attorneys.
Early on May 17, one person was killed and two others injured in San Diego when the driver lost control of the Oldsmobile he was driving while traveling westbound on I-8. Moments later another vehicle, a Nissan Maxima, crashed into the wreckage.
CHP officers blamed excessive speed as the cause of the accident.
The driver of the Oldsmobile was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and passenger of the Nissan were transported to the hospital for treatment.
Speed is the primary factor associated with car accidents. Inattentiveness, perhaps due to exhaustion, is another primary factor. Given the time of day the accident occurred, it is not unreasonable to assume that exhaustion also played a factor.
Earlier today, Britney Spears crashed the front of her Mercedes SL into the rear of a red Ford Explorer while driving on the Strip in Los Angeles. Luckily there were no significant injuries.
This is the third notable accident Britney has been involved in. On April 14, it was reported that Ms. Spears rear-ended another vehicle when she failed to realize that the vehicle in front of her came to a stop.
She was also involved in a hit and run accident when she struck a parked car while trying to park her vehicle:
We say this (slightly) jokingly: "Will she spend the money to hire a driver before she kills someone?"
It is very clear that Ms. Spears is an extremely poor driver and is a danger to herself and others. Her license should be revoked. If Ms. Spears was not a celebrity and just a regular driver, she would have already lost her license after being involved in multiple accidents, including a hit and run accident.
We can only hope she stops driving before she does kill someone.
The Orange County DA filed felony charges against Jeffrey Woods, 20, of Huntington Beach last week in connection with the death of Danny "Oatie" Oates, 14. Mr. Woods is being charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence when he ran his truck into his victim as he was crossing the street on his bicycle.
Woods' conduct, if not mitigated by any other facts, is truly reprehensible and clearly gross negligence. Woods was driving his truck under the influence of alcohol and drugs while trying to score more drugs during a three-day period. Documents filed with the criminal court show that Woods may have even be texting while driving under the influence at the time of the accident. What was so important that he had to text his contact? Woods needed more drugs.
We commend the Orange County DA for pressing charges against Woods and hope that he is prosecuted and sentenced to the fullest extent of the law. Unfortunately, tragic car accidents happen every day due to drunk or inattentive drivers resulting in serious injury or wrongful death. At times like these, victims' families need the help of experienced, aggressive representation to obtain the maximum recovery for their injuries or loss.
If you or a loved one is the victim of a drunk or inattentive driver, call the Jurewitz Law Group as soon as possible to learn about your rights and remedies. We can help find medical treatment and long-term care assistance while we prosecute your case aggressively.
The California Department of Insurance has ordered Allstate Insurance Company, who insures about 10% of all California cars, to reduce their rates by 15.9%.
DOI has insisted that insurers adhere to the key rate factors in determining the appropriate risk that an insured will be involved in an automobile accident: a person's driving record, the number of years behind the wheel, and the number of miles driven per year.
"It was very clear that they were charging too much," said Douglas Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights, the Santa Monica-based advocacy group that successfully championed Proposition 103 in 1988. The voter-approved initiative turned insurance into a highly regulated business, similar to power companies and other public utilities.
DOI is also attacking Allstate for excessive charges for homeowners' insurance, which provide resources to pay premises liability claims.
It is anticipated that the rate ruling will force other insurers to reduce their rates as well.
Most San Diegans drive with auto insurance. But most are severely under-insured or don't have the right kind of insurance to do them the most good if they are involved in an auto accident.
Unfortunately, our office usually typically has the opportunity to advise clients of their proper insurance needs ONLY after they've been in an accident and it's clear to them they were under-insured. So, please consider this to be a preemptive public safety announcement to all San Diegans.
1. Do Not Purchase Minimum Insurance. The minimum amount of insurance coverage necessary to drive a car in California is bodily injury coverage of $15K/$30K. This means that, in the event that you negligently cause an accident, your insurance carrier will pay all medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering for those you injured up to $15K per person or $30K per accident. If their damages exceed this amount, then you could be personally responsible for the balance. Obviously $15K isn't much money and automobile accident claims can easily exceed this amount, particularly where there is a claim for wrongful death. It is important that you purchase as much bodily injury coverage as you can afford. This is not only important to protect your assets, but, as the next section will make clear, so that you can maximize your under-insured/uninsured motorist coverage.
2. Purchase As Much UM/UIM Insurance Coverage As You Can. Ok, you're responsible. You purchased as much bodily injury coverage as you can. But the other guy, just assume that he is not responsible and is carrying only the minimum coverage--or no coverage at all! That is why you need to maximize your uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). UM/UIM allows you to turn to your own insurance to pay for your injuries which exceed the limits of the other driver's insurance policy. However, you can only purchase UM/UIM coverage up to the limits of your bodily injury coverage. So, if your bodily injury coverage is $100K, that is the most UM/UIM coverage you can purchase. UM/UIM is one of the cheapest components of an auto insurance policy. There is no excuse not to have it.
Continue reading "Automobile Insurance for San Diego's Roads: What You Need" »
Progressive Insurance's slippery and underhanded tactics have been profiled before. See here. Here too.
Now comes Progressive's latest dirty trick: offering personal injury settlements in auto accident cases before victims even get a chance to see a doctor.
Here's how the new strategy works:
Continue reading "San Diegans, Beware! Progressive Insurance's Newest Dirty Trick!" »
We've written about Benetta Buell-Wilson before. Earlier this week, the California 4th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld its' ruling that Ms. Wilson was entitled to $82.6 Million after the US Supreme Court held that the Court of Appeals should review its' ruling.
Ms. Wilson was originally awarded $370 Million dollars by a San Diego Jury. The verdict was later reduced by the trial court to $102 Million and then to $82.6 Million by the Court of Appeal. However, when given the opportunity to reduce this verdict again, the Court of Appeal declined.
The Buell-Wilson v. Ford Motor Co. is important for several reasons. First, it was the first time that Ford was held responsible for injuries resulting from a Ford Explorer roll-over auto accident. During the trial, Ms. Buell-Wilson's attorneys effectively proved that Ford was aware that the Explorer was dangerously unstable and prone to oversteer leading to rollovers. Ford also knew that in the event of a roll-over, the Explorer's roof was not strong enough to prevent crush. The cost of preventing rollover roof crushes was minimal, yet Ford refused to make he necessary changes. This is oddly reminiscent of prior Ford safety shortcomings; e.g., the Ford Pinto, use of Firestone ATX tires, etc.
Congratulations to Ms. Buell-Wilson. We hope that this latest ruling provides you with peace...after more than a decade of litigation against Ford's lawyers and unlimited bankroll.
UPDATE: Ms. Buell-Wilson is going to continue to wait for justice. Ford has decided to appeal the latest court ruling.
Know all those HUGE, "outrageous" verdicts that tort reformers cite as proof that juries are out of their minds and are too plaintiff-friendly? This is the story of one such verdict and, unfortunately, it is not unusual.
In 2004, a San Diego jury awarded Benetta Buell-Wilson and her family nearly $370 Million dollars in a Ford Explorer roll-over auto accident case. Now, the Supreme Court will review the verdict and possibly reduce it. The Supreme Court will be the third court to do so after the trial court and the Fourth District Court of Appeals both reduced the verdict from $122 Million in compensatory damages and $246 Million in punitive damages to $27.6 Million (compensatory) and $55 Million (punitive).
What happened to Benetta?:
On a January afternoon in 2002, Buell-Wilson was driving at a normal speed on Interstate 8 east of San Diego when she swerved to avoid a metal object that had fallen off a motor home. Her 1997 Explorer fishtailed and rolled over four times. Part of its roof was crushed, and Buell-Wilson suffered a severe spinal injury.
As a result of the accident, Benetta is now paralyzed and confined to a wheel-chair.
Now, Ford had previously won 13 trials without a loss. And they weren't shy about sharing that fact during litigation in the hopes of forcing Benetta and her husband to settle.
Plaintiffs were 0-13 and Benetta and her attorneys were risking a huge disappointment. These cases are not cheap to try. I've heard some estimates that Benetta's attorneys paid upwards of $750,000 to experts to prepare and try the case. And if they lost, the lawyers would lose that investment, Benetta would be forced to pay for all future care by herself out of her own pocket, and, worse still, Benetta would be forced to pay Ford's litigation costs.
Given all this risk, and the evidence that Ford knew of problems with its' vehicles for roof crush and roll over propensity, is $370 Million dollars outrageous to pay for a permanent injury and to punish Ford for its' callousness?
In fact, the problem had been well-documented for years:
No recall has ever been ordered for these vehicles. How many are still out on the road? How many more roof crush injuries or deaths will still occur? Will Ford EVER be forced to pay enough that they will consider the safety of their customers?
The Supreme Court should uphold the reduced verdict. Ford is already emboldened by the two prior reductions. No need to make it worse for consumer safety.
In an article printed in today's newspaper, the San Diego Union Tribune takes on Progressive Insurance's property damage program.
According to the article, critics argue that Progressive's program violates California's anti-steering laws by allowing its adjusters to write their own property damage estimates and direct their insureds to pre-approved body shops for the work. In addition--and wait until you hear about this--critics claim that Progressive's program seeks to reduce repair costs by cutting corners! Shocker!
Sarcasm aside, this seems to be the usual modus operandi for insurance companies. Why replace when cosmetic patching will do? Why use new parts when refurbished products can be found? And don't get me started on the repeated failure of insurance adjusters to ignore alignment and other structural issues in favor of concentrating on cosmetic damages. Too many of our office's auto accident clients have complained that their car just doesn't drive the same afterwards for it to be a coincidence.
The public shouldn't be so gullible to believe the commercials--the insurance companies are not out there to act in your best interests. They make money by collecting premiums and paying out less than the premiums they collect. If they have to actually use quality labor and parts, it just makes it that much harder.
There are hundreds of automobile injury accidents in San Diego each month where victims don't have a prayer of being fully compensated for their injuries. That is, unless they have the ONE coverage that they absolutely need.
That coverage is....uninsured motorist coverage.
California law has required motorists to cover automobile liability insurance for years. But this has not stopped the number of uninsured motorists in California to reach epidemic proportions. Some estimate that 23 percent of motorists in Los Angeles are uninsured and 15 percent of injury accidents in California involve uninsured motorists. This has led some legislators to look for a legislative solution.
Continue reading "California Automobile Insurance--The One Coverage You Absolutely Need." »
A serious "t-bone" car accident last Friday, illustrates--yet again--the importance of wearing seatbelts.
As if Governor Corzine's serious injury accident hadn't already done so.
A car ran a red light and broadsided a mini-van at the corner of 5th Street and A Street.
According to the police, the two adults and five children involved in the accident were wearing seatbelts--which may have saved their lives.
Surprisingly, the driver of the car was not seriously hurt.
We at the Jurewitz Law Group regularly see car accident injury victims that are lucky to be alive, but for the fact that they were wearing seatbelts. Please make sure you wear your seatbelt at all times.
