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A motorcyclist was killed in a collision with a big-rig east of El Centro. (Photo: Imperial Valley Press)

A motorcyclist was killed Thursday morning in a collision with a big-rig on Evan Hewes Highway near El Centro, California.

The highway crash occurred shortly before 2 p.m., according to a report in the Imperial Valley Press.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) investigators are trying to determine who was at fault in the accident.

CHP officer Pablo Torres said the motorcyclist was a 29-year-old resident of Holtville. His identity was not released.

The motorcyclist was riding a 2007 Kawasaki west on Evan Hewes highway, east of Highway 111. The truck, which was on its way to pick up a load of scrap metal, was driven by an unidentified 53-year-old resident of El Centro. It was traveling south on Parker Road and was attempting to turn west onto Evan Hewes Highway when the accident occurred.

Torres said the truck pulled out in front of the motorcyclist. Skid marks on the road indicate that the Kawasaki skidded almost 40 feet before crashing into the driver’s side of the tractor-trailer. CHP officers at the scene did not have an estimate of the motorcycle’s rate of speed at the time of the collision.

The motorcyclist died at the scene.

Torres did not specifically state that the truck driver was at fault, but he did state that all motorists traveling on highways have the right-of-way.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving truck accident injuries and fatalities.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Jessica Lynn Shekell (inset) faces up to 20 years in prison for a drunk-driving crash that killed two women.

A 23-year-old Anaheim woman faces nearly 20 years in prison after pleading guilty Thursday to gross vehicular manslaughter for a 2009 wrong-way drunk-driving crash that killed two women in Santa Ana.

Jessica Lynn Shekell also pleaded guilty to felony drunk-driving causing injuries, according to the Orange County Register.

The freeway crash occurred last year at 2:55 a.m. on October 26.

Shekell’s blood alcohol level was 0.26 percent — more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 — when she drove her pickup truck eastbound on westbound Highway 91 (the Riverside Freeway) and crashed into a pickup truck driven by 49-year-old Sally Miguel of San Bernardino.

Miguel was pronounced dead at the scene. Her sister, Patricia Miguel, was rushed to Western Medical Center, where she died a few hours later.  Their nieces, 15-year-old Mary Miguel and 11-year-old Sara Miguel, sustained serious internal injuries but survived the crash, according to the Register report.

Shekell was transported to U.C. Irvine Medical Center to be treated for facial trauma and fractures to both arms. She was in a wheelchair when she pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Robert Fitzgerald on Thursday.

Fitzgerald will sentence Shekell on December 9. Her potential sentence is 19 years and eight month in prison.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving drunk driving accident injuries and fatalities.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Two California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers were injured Wednesday night when a suspected drunk driver slammed into their parked cruiser near Santa Fe Springs.

The accident occurred at about 11 p.m., according to the Torrance Daily Breeze.

CHP officers Raliegh Quinones and Jeremy Tolen were driving north on Interstate 5, south of the interchange with northbound Interstate 5 (Santa Ana Freeway), when they pulled over to the shoulder and parked behind an unoccupied, disabled sport utility vehicle  near Florence Avenue, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Right after they parked, a full-size pickup truck driven by Lazaro Ramirez of Whittier crashed into the rear of the patrol car at about 65 mph. Both officers were still inside.

The impact forced the CHP patrol car into the SUV and then onto the freeway, where it was hit by a Toyota Highlander driven by Elizabeth Retiza of Montebello, according to the Times report.

Retiza was not hurt, but both CHP officers suffered minor injuries.

Ramirez also suffered minor injuries and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Authorities found both empty and full beer cans in the cab of Ramirez’s truck, according to the Daily Breeze report.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving drunk driving accident injuries and fatalities.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A California student was sentenced Thursday to more than four years in prison in connection with the 2009 death of a Hong Kong taxi cab driver.

A jury found 23-year-old California State University, Chico, student Kelsey Michael Mudd guilty of manslaughter, illegally taking over a vehicle, dangerous driving and drunk driving, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The fatal accident occurred last year on June 27, according to aPatch.com report. Mudd, whose blood alcohol level was five times the legal limit, allegedly was arguing with the driver when the taxi cab jumped a road divider and crashed into three oncoming cabs.

After the first accident, Mudd took over the taxi and caused a second crash. Hong Kong  TV news footage showed Mudd moving to the driver’s seat before he sped off in the taxi — heading in the wrong direction — and hit another cab head-on.

High Court Judge Alan Wright said he was disappointed that Mudd was “staggering drunk” and showed no remorse. But the judge said he also considered the fact that Mudd hadn’t intended to drive that night and that he is “a young man still pursuing his studies.”

Mudd, who has American, Australian and British citizenship, said on his website, “I don’t believe any crime has been committed.” He was born in Hong Kong and moved to Walnut Creek, California, when he was 8 years old.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving drunk driving accident injuries and fatalities.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A big-rig driver suffered a heart attack and crashed into eight vehicles in Los Angeles. (Photo: MyFoxLA)

A big-rig driver died Thursday after possibly suffering a heart attack during rush hour and hitting eight vehicles on Interstate 405 in Los Angeles.

The truck accident occurred at about 4:30 p.m., according to KTLA News.

Authorities said the truck driver,  58-year-old William Bradfield of Huntington Beach lost control of his truck due to an “unknown medical condition.”

With Bradfield unable to drive, the truck became a runaway and struck multiple vehicles before it finally crashed into the center divider on northbound Interstate 405 near Santa Monica Boulevard, the California Highway Patrol said. Officials initially said the truck hit a dozen vehicles, but later revised that number to eight, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Paramedics treated Bradfield at the scene and then rushed him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead from a possible heart attack, the CHP said.

The exact number of injury victims was not available Thursday night, but the CHP said several people were taken to area hospitals to be treated for moderate to minor injuries.

Anyone who was involved or witnessed the accident is urged to call CHP investigating officer G. Garcia at 310-642-3939.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving truck accident injuries and fatalities.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

The California Department of Public Health has issued  the most severe citations the state can levy to two facilities — Browning Manor Convalescent Hospital in Delano and Gramercy Court nursing home in Sacramento — in connection with deaths of residents.

Both nursing homes were issued AA citations Monday, according to a report in the Central Valley Business Times. Browning Manor was fined $100,000 for inadequate care that led to the death of a resident in 2009. Gramercy Court was fined $90,000 for insufficient safety protections that contributed to the death of a resident in 2007.

Investigators found that Browning Manor failed to provide “necessary supervision and timely monitoring” to a 58-year-old resident who had exhibited aggressive behavior. The delay caused the man to fall out of his wheelchair and fracture his spine. He was transferred to another hospital, where he died two days later, the Business Times reported.

A state probe concluded that a certified nursing assistant at Gramercy Court turned her back to a 97-year-old resident who was in bed. The CNA left the bed’s side safety-rail down while she turned away to check the position of the wheelchair. The resident fell out of bed and broke her spine. She was transferred to a local  hospital, where she died four days later.

The public health department levied a similar penalty against Gramercy Court in 2008 after investigators determined that a 73-year-old patient got an infection and died because staff members failed to keep her hydrated.

A spokeswoman for Browning Manor’s  parent company told the San Jose Mercury News an appeals process will begin this week.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving wrongful death.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A car got lodged under a big-rig on Interstate 580 in Hayward. (Photo: KGO News)

A woman was killed Tuesday when her car got pinned under a big-rig on Interstate 580 in an unincorporated area of Castro Valley, near Hayward.

The three-vehicle accident occurred at about 12:10 p.m., according to ABC 7 News.

California Highway Patrol spokesman officer Rob Tuazon said 22-year-old Alyssa Nicole Frantozzi of San Ramon died after her 1999 Honda crashed into a Freightliner big-rig on eastbound I-580 just east of Grove Way.

The Honda was lodged underneath the right rear tires of the truck, which was driven by 35-year-old Ivan De La Rosa of Mexicali. De La Rosa was not injured.

CHP Officer John Short told Pleasanton Patch that Frantozzi’s 1999 Honda caught fire; another motorist with a fire extinguisher stopped and put out the flames.

A third vehicle — a 1999 Toyota 4Runner driven by 24-year-old Kathy Le Nguyen of San Francisco — also was involved in the crash. Nquyen was taken to Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Hayward. The nature and extent of her injuries was not known, but they were believed to be minor.

All lanes of the freeway were blocked for a while; at least two lanes remained blocked for about two-and-a-half hours, the CHP said.

Investigators are talking to witnesses to try to determine what caused the fatal crash.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving truck accident injuries and fatalities.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

The first big rainfall of the season wreaked havoc on California roadways, with cars skidding on rain-slicked roads and smashing into each other in accidents all over the state.

[Read: Stockton Car Accident Lawyers | Rain Brought Crashes Every 25 Seconds]

Soon it will be snowing in the mountains — and thousand of skiers who can’t wait to hit the slopes will first hit the freeways to get there. Caltrans offers these tips to get you there without accidents or injuries:

Before Heading for Snow Country:

• Make sure your brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, heater and exhaust system are in top condition.
• Check your antifreeze.
• Add concentrated windshield washer fluid to the windshield washer fluid reservoir to prevent an icy windshield. (See California Air Resources Board website.)
• Check your tires.
  Always carry chains. Make sure they are the proper size for your tires and are in working order. Chains must be installed on the drive wheels. Make sure you know if your vehicle is front or rear wheel drive.
• Bring an ice scraper or commercial de-icer, a broom for brushing snow off your car, a shovel to free you car if it is “snowed in,” and sand or burlap for traction if you get stuck in the snow.
• Also consider taking along water, food, warm blankets and extra clothing.
• Save the Caltrans Highway Information Network (CHIN) phone number — 800-427-7623 – in your cell phone so you can easily get updated road conditions.
• Put an extra car key in your pocket. You’d be surprised at how many people lock themselves out of their cars when putting on chains.

Driving Tips:

• Allow extra time.
• Keep your gas tank full. You may get stuck in traffic or have to change routes.
• Keep windshield and windows clear.
• Slow down.
• Avoid sudden stops and quick direction changes.
• Be more observant. Visibility is often limited in winter by weather conditions.
• When stalled, stay with your vehicle and try to conserve fuel while maintaining warmth. Be alert to any possible exhaust or monoxide problems.

[Download: Weathering the Storm: Winter Driving Tips]

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving motor vehicle accident injuries and fatalities.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has found and repaired 38 leaky gas pipelines in the wake of the explosion and fire that killed eight people and destroyed 37 homes in San Bruno last month.

In a report provided Monday to California’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC), PG&E said it discovered gas leaking from pipelines in Hollister, Gridley, American Canyon and Napa, according to the Bay Citizen (see map below; for a larger version with more information, see the full-size map on Google).

During its inspection, the utility company also found a damaged pipeline casing beneath Highway 101 in San Bruno, the Bay Citizen reported. The casings surround and protect pipelines where they cross railroad lines, streets and other rights-of-way.

PG&E’s vice president for regulatory relations, Brian Cherry, said the company would take another look at the damaged casing and make repairs if necessary.

“PG&E will excavate the area immediately surrounding the detected casing/pipeline contact, conduct a visual examination to confirm contact, and take remedial actions if necessary,” Cherry wrote in the report.

[READ THE FULL PG&E REPORT ONLINE]

The utility also said it may have to replace about 300 manual gas valves on its 565 miles of pipeline that passes beneath populated areas. Newer automatic or remotely controlled valves would allow the company to shut off natural gas flow more quickly to avoid another disaster like San Bruno, the Contra Costa Times reported.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving wrongful death.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Two people were killed Saturday when their small plane crashed near Lake Mathews reservoir, about 12 miles southwest of Riverside, California.

The plane — a 1990 Reed Phillip experimental Glasair — departed the Corona Municipal Airport at 1:30 p.m. for a local flight, according to a report in the Riverside Press-Enterprise. When the aircraft failed to return to the airport, a friend of the people on board reported it missing, said Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman Ian Gregor.

Authorities found the wreckage of the single-engine homebuilt plane about 100 feet from the eastern shore of Lake Mathews on Sunday at about 10:30 a.m., the Press-Enterprise reported. Inside were the bodies of 41-year-old pilot Timothy Richard Larson, who owned the plane, and his passenger, 50-year-old Spero Theofilatos of Jupiter, Florida.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident. Gregor said all information collected thus far is preliminary.

Lake Mathews is the designated practice area for the Corona airport. The city’s air safety task force, formed after a mid-air collision in 2008 that killed five people, has been working since May to complete a list of safety recommendations. Changes included increased lighting, flight safety seminars and an FAA review of flight patterns that were deemed safe.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving plane crash injuries and fatalities.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.