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One person was killed in a crash with three big-rigs on Highway 60 in Diamond Bar. (Top photo: Glendora Patch | Bottom photo: ABC News)

Fatal big-rig crash: One person was killed and three others seriously injured Friday in a pileup involving three big-rigs and another truck on Highway 60 in Diamond Bar.

•   A box truck and a big-rig pulled over to the side of the freeway after a minor collision to exchange information.

•   Both drivers and two passengers were standing between he trucks when a third truck hauling bananas slammed into the parked big-rig from behind. 

•   Three of the four people standing between the trucks were crushed. One of them died at the scene and the other two were airlifted to hospitals in critical condition.

•   The banana truck overturned but the driver sustained only minor injuries.

The deadly freeway accident occurred shortly after 11 a.m. on the eastbound side of the freeway, west of Phillips Ranch Road, according to an Inland Valley Daily Bulletin report.

California Highway Patrol Officer Kerri Rivas said it started when a Ford F7000 box truck and a tractor trailer got into a minor collision and pulled over to the shoulder to exchange insurance information.

The driver of the box truck and his two passengers were standing between the two trucks with the big-rig driver. A third eastbound big-rig, which was hauling a load of bananas, rear-ended the parked tractor trailer.

The impact caused the parked tractor trailer to lurch forward about 15 feet, Rivas said. Three of the four people standing between the two trucks were crushed. The banana truck then careened to the left and overturned on the freeway, spilling fuel and boxes of fruit onto the roadway.

The box truck driver died at the scene, Rivas said. One of his passengers was able to jump out of the way, but the other one – 40-year-old Arnold Hutchinson of Mira Loma — suffered major injuries. Hutchinson was transported via ground ambulance to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center and then airlifted via helicopter to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. He was listed in critical condition, Rivas said.

The driver of the parked big rig, 53-year-old Constantino Olmos of Riverside, also suffered catastrophic injuries. He was airlifted directly to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center, where he was in the intensive care unit. He also was listed in critical condition, Rivas said.

The driver of the banana truck, 23-year-old Emilio Alvarez of South Gate, sustained minor injuries. He was taken to San Dimas Community Hospital to be treated for complaints of pain, Rivas said.

The freeway was completely closed until two lanes were reopened shortly before 6 p.m., according to a Claremont/Laverne Patch news update.

“Anytime there is fatality, we have to do a long-term closure in order to conduct an extensive investigation,” CHP spokesman Vince Ramirez told the Los Angeles Times.

Diamond Bar Truck Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented truck accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Six people were injured when a wrong-way driver crashed into two cars on State Route 94 in San Diego.

Freeway crash: Six people were injured Saturday night when a wrong-way driver crashed into two cars on the State Route 94 freeway in Lemon Grove, about 8 miles from downtown San Diego. The driver carjacked another vehicle before he was arrested.

•   A 65-year-old driver, who apparently was on drugs, drove the wrong way on the freeway and crashed into three vehicles.

•   Six people were injured and taken to hospitals.

•   The wrong-way driver ran away on foot and then allegedly carjacked a Cadillac to try to escape.

 •   Police arrested the driver on charges of felony hit-and-run and driving under the influence of drugs. 

The car accident occurred between 7:20 and 7:50 p.m., according to a report in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The California Highway Patrol said motorists first reported the wrong-way driver at 7:23 p.m., when they spotted a dark Ford Mustang traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of State Route 94 — also known as the Martin Luther King Jr. freeway -near Massachusetts Avenue in Lemon Grove.

California Highway Patrol officer John Alvarez said the Mustang, driven by 65-year-old Selven Parson of Valley Center — crashed into another car and then hit an SUV at Federal Boulevard about three minutes later.

One of the passengers in the SUV said her husband was driving the vehicle eastbound when Parson’s Mustang, spun out and slammed into the SUV. The impact sent the SUV out of control. It crashed into guardrails on both sides of the freeway before it finally came to a rest, she told the Union-Tribune.

Alzarez said that six family members in the SUV were transported to hospitals to be treated for injuries they suffered in the accident. He said the driver of the first car that Parson crashed into was not injured.

A third vehicle ran into some debris left by the first two crashes, but no injuries were reported in that collision.

San Diego police said Parson jumped out of the disabled Mustang, ran down the freeway ramp, and tried to get away in another driver’s Cadillac. The Union-Tribune reported:

[Parson] allegedly jumped into a woman’s Cadillac, threatened her with a screwdriver and forced her to drive him along Federal for several blocks, San Diego police said. Then he got out and tried to hide under a parked truck, but a police helicopter crew using infrared discovered his hiding place, police said.

Parson was arrested at 7:50 p.m. and will face charges of felony hit-and-run and driving under the influence of drugs, Alvarez said.

San Diego Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

One person was killed and three others seriously injured when a drowsy driver hit another vehicle on Highway 46 near Paso Robles.

Fatal highway crash: One person was killed and three others hospitalized Sunday night when a drowsy driver turned into oncoming traffic and crashed into another vehicle on Highway 46 in Shandon, about 15 miles east of Paso Robles.

•   A drowsy driver in an SUV made an unsafe turn, crossing a center line on a two-lane highway. He crashed head-on into an oncoming car.

•   The driver in the car was killed on impact. His passenger was hospitalized with serious injuries.

•   The SUV driver and his passenger also were hospitalized with serious injuries. 

The deadly car accident occurred 10 minutes before midnight, according to a report in the San Luis Obispo Tribune.

The California Highway Patrol said 32-year-old Marysville resident Eric Wellington was driving a 2002 Ford Expedition sports utility vehicle eastbound on Highway 46 at the time of the crash.

Wellington turned into oncoming traffic at McMillan Avenue and crashed head-on into a westbound 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by 50-year-old Cirigo Arias of Kettleman City.

The violent impact to the left front side of the Grand Prix killed Arias instantly. The front wheel of the car was knocked off and the car spun out, finally stopping on the shoulder on the westbound side of the highway.

Meanwhile, the collision caused Wellington’s SUV to roll over, blocking both lanes of the highway.

Arias was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, 31-year-old Everado Martinez, suffered serious injuries. She was hospitalized at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, according to a KEYT News report.

Wellington and his passenger, 27-year-old Rosalie Wellington, also suffered serious injuries. They also were taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center to be treated.

The CHP said driver fatigue (Wellington) was a major factor in the accident. Alcohol and drugs did not appear to be involved.

Paso Robles Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

An elderly driver in a Jeep SUV crashed into an oncoming vehicle, killing the other driver, on Highway 25 in Gilroy. (Photo: KSBW)

Fatal car accident: A 31-year-old man was killed Friday morning when an 81-year-old driver veered into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into three vehicles on Highway 25 near Gilroy.

•   An elderly man in a Jeep crossed the center line on a rural highway bridge and crashed head-on into three other vehicles. 

•   The driver of the first struck vehicle died at the scene. His passenger was airlifted to a hospital. 

•   The elderly driver suffered minor injuries. No other injuries were reported.

•   Alcohol was not a factor.

The rural highway crash occurred at 5:40 a.m., according to a Gilroy Dispatch report updated Monday.

California Highway Patrol Officer Erica Elias said Saratoga resident Salvadore Territo, 81, had been reported as a missing person before the accident.

Territo was driving a 1995 Jeep SUV southbound on Highway 25 when he crossed the center line and veered into the northbound lane on the Carnadero Creek Bridge near Highway 101.

The Jeep slammed head-on into a 1996 Plymouth driven by 31-year-old  Eliaquin Perez of Gilroy, and then smashed into two other vehicles –  a 1998 Saturn and a 1997 Ford — that were traveling northbound directly behind the Plymouth. All three of the cars involved in the secondary collision crashed into the bridge abutment.

Perez died at the scene. His passenger, 27-year-old Freddy Perez, also of Gilroy, was airlifted via helicopter to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose to be treated for injuries he suffered in the accident. Territo sustained minor injuries and was taken to San Jose Regional Medical Center to be treated.

No other injuries were reported.

Officials closed Highway 25 from Bolsa Road to Bloomfield Avenue for almost four hours while they cleared the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation. Officer Elias said alcohol was not believed to be a factor in the accident.

Gilroy Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

The driver of this flatbed pickup truck was killed when he crashed head-on into a big-rig on Highway 12 near Lodi. (Photo: Will Heryford/KCRA News)

Fatal highway accident: A 22-year-old man driving a flatbed pickup truck was killed Thursday when he crashed head-on into a big-rig on Highway 12 between Lodi and Rio Vista.

•   A pickup truck driver was weaving in and out oncoming traffic lanes on a rural highway and eventually crashed head-on into a big-rig.

•   The pickup truck driver died at the scene.  

•   The big-rig driver was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries he suffered in the accident.

•   The accident led to three more collisions involving five vehicles. 

•   The CHP did not yet know if drugs or alcohol were involved.

The deadly accident occurred just before 6 a.m., according to a report in the Stockton Record.

California Highway Patrol Officer Angel Arceo said 22-year-old Richard Kenneth Hartman of Oakley was driving a 2012 Ford F-550 flatbed pickup truck eastbound on Highway 12 at the time of the accident.

Highway 12 is a two-lane road. Witnesses reported Hartman’s eastbound truck weaving in and out of the westbound lane starting in Rio Vista, Arceo said. Fourteen miles later — at Peatland Road, near Interstate 5 — the pickup truck veered into the westbound lane again and crashed head-on into an oncoming big-rig driven by 44-year-old Tersem Singh of Lodi.

Hartman died at the scene. Singh was transported via ground ambulance to Lodi Memorial Hospital to be treated for injuries he suffered in the accident.

That crash led to three more accidents on the highway, Arceo said. At least five vehicles were involved in those accidents, including two semi trucks and a truck hauling construction equipment. One of the trucks was pushed off of the highway and into an irrigation ditch, according to a KCRA News report. No major injuries were reported.

CHP investigators had not determined whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the accident, Arceo said. Toxicology reports were pending.

What happens when the driver who is at fault dies in the accident?

In this case, the driver who caused the accident suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. But the big-rig driver also was injured. Can he still make a claim?

The answer is yes. The case survives even when the wrongdoer doesn’t. The insurance carrier for the car that the wrongdoer was driving remains liable for damages. If that policy does not have enough coverage, additional compensation may be sought via Underinsured Motorist coverage from the insurance carrier for the vehicle in which the innocent victim was a driver or passenger.

If a lawsuit is necessary, it would be filed against the estate of the wrongdoer. If there is no estate, then the injured party can force an estate to be set up to handle the lawsuit.

Lodi Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A Jeep Cherokee tumbled off the 259 freeway, killing the driver and seriously injuring two passengers.

Fatal SUV rollover crash: A driver died and his passengers were seriously injured Saturday night when an SUV rolled over the edge of Highway 259 in San Bernardino.

•   A Jeep Cherokee hit a curb on the freeway, rolled over, and plummeted down a steep embankment onto a street below.

•   The driver was thrown from the car and died. 

•   An adult passenger suffered major injuries and a 3-year-old passenger suffered minor injuries.

The deadly freeway accident occurred at 11:20 p.m., according to an article in the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

Calilfornia Highway Patrol investigators said 26-year-old David Alex Trujillo of Colton was driving a 1993 Jeep Cherokee  southbound on Highway 259 near Highland Avenue at the time of the wreck.

For unknown reasons, the Jeep veered to the right and hit a side curb. That caused the vehicle to roll over and crash into a guard rail. Then it tumbled of of the freeway and down a steep embankment, the CHP report stated. The vehicle landed on I Street, near 21st Street.

Trujillo was ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene.

A passenger who was riding in the front seat of the Jeep,  21-year-old Frankie J. Ruiz of Colton, suffered major injuries. No information about his condition was available.

Another passenger, a 3-year-old boy from Rialto, was riding in the back seat. He suffered minor injuries. His relationship to the other two occupants of the vehicle was not immediately known.

What happens when the driver who is at fault dies in the accident?

In this case, the CHP has not yet determined what caused the accident. Even it it does turn out to be the fault of the driver who suffered fatal injuries, what happens to the passengers who were seriously injured in the accident? Can they still make a claim, even though the at-fault driver died in the accident?

The answer is yes. The case survives even when the wrongdoer doesn’t. The insurance carrier for the car that the wrongdoer was driving remains liable for damages. If that policy does not have enough coverage, additional compensation may be sought via Underinsured Motorist coverage from the insurance carrier for the vehicle in which the innocent victim was a driver or passenger.

If a lawsuit is necessary, it would be filed against the estate of the wrongdoer. If there is no estate, then the injured party can force an estate to be set up to handle the lawsuit.

San Bernardino Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

One person was killed and three others injured when a big-rig slammed into stopped cars on Highway 41 in Lemoore.

Fatal big-rig crash: A man was killed and three other people were injured Saturday when a semi truck plowed into a group of three cars stopped at a light on Highway 41 in Lemoore.

•   A truck failed to slow down at an intersection on a rural highway and plowed into a pickup truck stopped at a stoplight.

•   The truck burst into flames, trapping the driver inside. He died at the scene.

•   The fire spread to two other vehicles, which were forced by the impact into the intersection. One hit a streetlight and the other crashed into a power pole.

•   The drivers of those two cars suffered burn injuries.

The rural highway accident occurred at 7:54 a.m., according to a report in the Hanford Sentinel.

California Highway Patrol Officer Jerry Pierce said a southbound big-rig driven by 21-year-old Harpal Singh Sandhu of Clovis failed to slow down at Hanford-Armona road and slammed into a 1996 Chevy S-10 pickup truck.

The pickup truck immediately burst into flames and the driver, a 46-year-old man from Huron, was trapped inside the vehicle. He died at the scene.

The fire spread to the two vehicles in front of the pickup truck, both of which were launched into the intersection. One of the vehicles struck a streetlight and the other crashed into a power pole.

One of the motorists, 59-year-old Jack Leal of Lemoore, suffered burn injuries to his hair and face as well as lacerations to his nose and lip. Another motorist, 43-year-old Melissa Dodd of Riverdale, complained of pain to her neck and back.

The big-rig driver sustained burns on his left leg.

Officials closed the highway for several hours to clear the scene and conduct a preliminary investigation. This was the second time in two consecutive days that a big-rig failed to stop at an intersection and caused a fatal accident in the Hanford/Lemoore area.  (Read more: Hanford: Big-Rig Runs Stop Sign, Slams Car in Fatal Crash)

Lemoore Truck Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented the families of truck accident victims for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Seven people were hurt in a multi-vehicle accident caused by an unsafe passing maneuver on Highway 330 near San Bernardino.

Seven people were injured Sunday in a six-vehicle car accident caused by an unsafe passing attempt on Highway 330 just outside the city limits of San Bernardino.

•   A Jeep Wrangler was tailgating another vehicle in a no-passing zone of a mountain highway and then pulled into the oncoming traffic lane to try to pass it.

•   The Jeep crashed into three oncoming vehicles. One of those vehicles spun out of control and hit two other vehicles.

•   A passenger had to be extricated from one of the vehicles. Seven people were taken to hospitals to be treated for injuries suffered in the accident.

The rural highway crash occurred at 2:55 p.m., about three miles north of the city limits, according to a article published Thursday in the Mountain News.

California Highway Patrol Officer Benjamin Baker said a southbound 2005 Jeep Wrangler, driven by 60-year-old Carol Duran of Big Bear City, had been tailgating a car in a no-passing zone and then pulled into the northbound traffic lane to try to pass the slower vehicle.

Baker said the Jeep crashed into three oncoming (northbound) vehicles — a 2012 Honda Civic driven by 22-year-old Gyeongsik Go of Pomona, a 2004 Toyota Corolla driven by 24-year-old Tiffany Ashlie Montejano of Fontana, and a 1996 Honda Accord driven by 31-year-old Joseph Charles Smith of Ontario.

The impact sent the Honda Civic out of control and it struck two southbound vehicles — a 2012 Honda Pilot driven by 34-year-old Marzo Carrasco Jr. of Baldwin Park and a 2004 GMC Yukon driven by Dakota R. Bokemezer of Palm Desert (no age listed).

There were 13 total people involved, including all of the passengers. San Bernardino City Fire Department Battalion Chief Tony Page told the Mountain News that seven people were injured in the accident and transported to area hospitals to be treated. Five of the victims were taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center and two were taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.

Baker said 29-year-old Nicole Islas of Ontario, who was a passenger in the Honda Accord, was trapped in the vehicle. Emergency workers had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate him.

No details about the nature and severity of the seven victims’ injuries were available as of Thursday.

San Bernardino Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Four people were killed and five others seriously injured in a head-on rural highway crash in Santa Ysabel. (Photos: KFMB News)

A car accident turned a family outing into a horrible tragedy Wednesday when two vehicles crashed head-on on State Route 78 in Santa Ysabel. Four people were killed and five others were seriously injured.

•   A mother, grandmother, and six children were on a family outing in a minivan when they were involved in a head-on collision on a rural highway.

•   Both drivers were killed, along with two of the young children. 

•   The grandmother and four other children were hospitalized. One of those children may be paralyzed.

•   There were no witnesses, so the CHP is still trying to determine what caused the deadly accident.

Authorities are still trying to determine the cause of the rural highway crash, which occurred at around 3:15 p.m. and killed both drivers, according to a Channel 6 News update. There were no independent witnesses.

California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Pennings said a 33-year-old San Diego woman — later identified as Maryhelen Aguilar — was driving a Honda Odyssey minivan eastbound on the highway when the accident occurred.

Also traveling in the van were Aguilar’s four daughters aged 6, 8, 9, and 13, two nephews aged 3 and 8, and her mother, 67-year-old Gail Romero.

The minivan and a westbound 2010 Pontiac Vibe, driven by a 33-year-old Santa Ana man, crashed head-on near the intersection with State Route 79. Both cars flipped over. The minivan, which reportedly rolled several times, came to rest facing north on the south edge of the highway, Pennings told the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Pontiac landed in the middle of the road, on the double yellow line, facing south.

Both drivers were killed, along with Aguilar’s 8-year-old and 9-year-old daughters. All four of them were pronounced dead at the scene.

Aguilar’s mother and 6-year-old daughter were hospitalized with major injuries. The 6-year-old’s injuries were considered life-threatening, according to the Union-Tribune story. Family members told Channel 6 News that she may be paralyzed. Aguilar’s nephews and her 13-year-old granddaughter were hospitalized with minor to moderate injuries.

Cal Fire Captain Mike Mohler said three of the injured victims were airlifted by helicopter to hospitals, while the other two were taken by ground ambulance.

The driver of the Pontiac Vibe was the only person in that vehicle.

Authorities closed State Route 78 in both directions to clear the accident and conduct a preliminary investigation.

Santa Ysabel Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

One person was killed and four others hospitalized when a car crashed on Highway 4 in Martinez. (Photo: Craig Cannon | Martinez Patch)

Fatal car accident: One person was killed and four others seriously injured Tuesday night in a fiery crash that sent a car down an embankment off of Highway 4 in Martinez.

•   A driver lost control of a small Nissan sedan on a busy highway, crashed into a center divider, caromed back across the road, and hit a guard rail at the right shoulder.

•   An SUV hit the Nissan from behind, sending it down an embankment. The Nissan caught fire. The driver was trapped in the vehicle and died at the scene.

•   Four people in the SUV suffered serious injuries. At least two were hospitalized.

The highway crash occurred shortly before 7 p.m., according to a report in the Contra Costa Times.

California Highway Patrol Officer Dave Bartlett said the chain-reaction accident started when the driver of a Nissan Sentra sedan lost control for unknown reasons near the Morello Avenue exit.

The Sentra veered across the highway and crashed into the center divider, then back across the traffic lanes and hit the side guard rail.

A sports utility vehicle struck the Sentra from behind. The impact sent the small sedan off of the roadway and down an embankment. The car burst into flames. The driver, who was alone in the car, was trapped inside the vehicle and died at the scene. No information about the driver’s identity was released.

Four people in the SUV suffered serious injuries. At least two were hospitalized, but the nature and severity of their injuries was not released.

The accident remains under investigation.

What happens when the driver who is at fault dies in the accident?

It’s a tragedy when a person is killed in a car accident. But what happens to the other victims? If the individual who caused the crash suffers fatal injuries, can the other victims still make a claim?

The answer is yes. The case survives even when the wrongdoer doesn’t. The insurance carrier for the car that the wrongdoer was driving remains liable for damages. If that policy does not have enough coverage, additional compensation may be sought via Underinsured Motorist coverage from the insurance carrier for the vehicle in which the innocent victim was a driver or passenger.

If a lawsuit is necessary, it would be filed against the estate of the wrongdoer. If there is no estate, then the injured party can force an estate to be set up to handle the lawsuit.

Martinez Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.