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A speeding motorcylist crashed into a minivan in Long Beach, killing himself and the minivan driver.

Fatal motorcycle accident: A speeding motorcyclist who was fleeing from police in Long Beach crashed into a minivan Monday. The motorcyclist and the driver of the van were killed in the accident.

•   A CHP officer tried to pull over a speeding motorcyclist on the freeway.

•   The motorcyclist fled the officer, exiting the freeway at about 100 mph.

•   The motorcycle crashed into a minivan, killing the driver and himself.

The deadly accident occurred at 6:10 a.m. at Wardlow Road and Norwalk Boulevard, according to a report in the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

California Highway Patrol Officer Monica Posada said another CHP officer tried to pull over a speeding motorcyclist who was traveling at more than 100 mph on the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway.

The speeding motorcyclist did not stop, Posada said. Instead, he exited the freeway at Spring Street and eventually slammed into a minivan driven by 65-year-old Marianne Krone, of La Palma.

The high-speed impact caused the van to flip and roll several times, killing the driver.

The motorcycle burst into flames. The motorcylist — later identified as 23-year-old Frank Aldana Escalante, of Lakewood — also died at the scene.

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

Sometimes in a serious accident the individual who caused the crash suffers fatal injuries. Can the innocent victim 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.

Long Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

A Caltrans worker was killed in a motorcycle accident near Sacramento.

Fatal motorcycle accident: A Caltrans worker was en route to a memorial service for fellow workers Thursday morning when he was struck by a car and killed on Highway 99 just north of Sacramento.

•    A group of Caltrans workers were riding motorcycles on Highway 99 to the state Capitol for a tribute to fellow workers who died in the job.

•     A Toyota Matrix turned left in front of the riders and collided with one of the riders. 

•    The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike.

•     He died at the scene.

The deadly highway accident occurred at aroound 8:20 a.m., according to a KCRA News report.

The motorcyclist — 51-year-old Dean Patton of Grass Valley — was a maintenance worker for Caltrans. He was riding to the state Capitol on Thursday, his day off, to take part in a memorial ceremony for co-workers who have died on the job.

Patton was riding his 2005 Harley-Davidson southbound on Highway 99 with a group of other motorcyclists. When they approached Riego Road, a 2005 Toyota Matrix — driven by 73-year-old Jintana Walker of Sacramento — suddenly made a left turn onto the highway, directly in front of the riders.

California Highway Patrol officials said Patton did not have time to brake or take evasive action and collided with the Toyota, according to a news report in the Appeal-Democrat.  He was thrown from his bike and died at the scene.

“Caltrans is mourning this tremendous loss that the Patton family and their friends have suffered,” Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said in a written statement. “My heart goes out to his wife, Trisha, children, and grandchildren. He was a good man and will be missed by all who worked with him and knew him.”

Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

A Marine was killed in a crash with a wrong-way driver on Interstate 15 in San Diego.

An active-duty U.S. Marine was killed in a motorcycle accident Wednesday when he crashed into a wrong-way driver’s wrecked car on Interstate 15 in Escondido.

•    A 63-year-old man drive a Ford Escort the wrong way on the freeway and crashed into a pickup truck.

•    The Escort crashed into a concrete railing and flipped over before hitting a Kia Optima and coming to rest in the traffic lanes. 

•    Just then, a motorcyclist approached the scene and could not stop in time to avoid crashing into the wrecked Escort.

•    The motorcylist, who was an active-duty U.S. Marine, ws thrown off of his Harley and died on the way to the hospital.

The fatal freeway crash occurred shortly after 6:30 a.m., according to a report in the North County Times.

California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said several motorists reported a wrong-way driver in a Ford Escort traveling north on the southbound side of Interstate 15 at that time.

The Escort sideswiped a Ford F-150 pickup truck, stopped briefly in the center divide between the northbound and southbound lanes, and then continued driving in the wrong direction, Bettencourt said.

When the Escort crashed into a concrete railing on the Gopher Canyon Road overpass, the vehicle rolled over and landed in the middle of the traffic lanes, where it struck a Kia Optima, according to the CHP officer.

Just as the wrecked Escort came to rest, a motorcylist — later identified as 29-year-old Brent V. Durrant of Fallbrook — approached on a Harley Davidson and could not avoid crashing into the Escort.

Durrant, an active-duty U.S. Marine, was thrown off of his motorcycle and died en route to the hospital. No

The Escort driver, 63-year-old Robert Sidney Bowman of Valley Center, sustained unknown injuries and was taken to a hospital to be treated.

No other injuries were reported.

CHP investigators did not yet know if drugs, alcohol or a medical emergency may have played a role in the crash.  Toxicology reports were pending, Bettencourt said.

Escondido Freeway Accident Lawyers

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

Two people were hospitalized in a car accident caused by a speeding motorcycle on Highway 99 near Sacramento.

Police said alcohol may have been a factor in a Wednesday-night car accident caused by a motorcycle speeding at up to 120 mph on Highway 99 in Sutter County, about 20 miles north of Sacramento.

•   A motorcyclist who had alcohol on his breath was riding on two-lane Highway 99 at speeds of up to 120 mph. 

•   Still traveling at high speed, he tried to ride between two cars. 

•   One of cars had to swerve to the right and went off the road, rolling several times.

•   The driver of that vehicle was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The rural highway crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m., according to a report in the Appeal-Democrat.

California Highway Patrol Officer J.D. Moser said 23-year-old Dean J. Wright of Salinas — who may have been under the influence of alcohol — was riding a 2008 Honda motorcycle southbound on Highway 99 at a speed of up to 120 mph when the accident happened.

Wright was attempting to ride at high speed between two vehicles, just south of Howsley Road, and caused a 2002 Jeep Liberty to swerve off the west side of the road, Moser said. The Jeep flipped over and rolled several times.

The driver of the Jeep — 53-year-old Robert P. Perrin of Clipper Mills — suffered moderate injuries and was transported by ground ambulance to Rideout Memorial Hospital.

Rural Highway Accident Statistics

Only 23 percent of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, but 57 percent of all motor vehicle accident fatalities occur on rural roads, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The NHTSA’s latest figures show that the fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled was 2.5 times higher in rural areas than in urban areas.

A large majority of car accident deaths in rural areas — 67 percent — occur on highways, where the speed limit is 55 mph or higher. In urban areas, the opposite is true: 68 percent of all fatal crashes occur on roads where the speed limit is less than 50 mph.

Rural highways often are only two lanes, which presents significant danger to motorists who use the oncoming traffic lane to pass at high speed.

Finally, hospitals are few and far between in rural areas. The risk of dying on the way to the hospital is significantly higher in a rural accident than an urban one.

Sacramento 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.

Police said speed was a factor in a double-fatal motorcycle crash in Petaluma.

Police said speed was a factor in a solo motorcycle accident that killed both the driver and his passenger Sunday in Petaluma.

•    Two men were riding a motorcycle when they approached a 90-degree turn in the road. The bike was traveling too fast to make the turn.

•   The driver lost control of the bike and crashed into a guardrail. Both men were trapped beneath the rail. The passenger also was trapped beneath the bike itself.

•   The driver died at the scene. Firefighters were able to transport the passenger, but he died from his injuries en route to the hospital.

The fatal crash occurred between 2:30 and 3 p.m., according to a report in the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

Petaluma Police Lt. Tim Lyons said 36-year-old Vallejo resident Richard Wilton II was driving a yellow 2004 Honda CBR westbound on Magnolia Avenue at the time of the accident.

Police believe Wilton was traveling to fast to navigate the 90-degree right turn onto Gossage Avenue and lost control of the motorcycle, Lyons said.

Wilton “laid the bike down” and it slid into and then underneath a guardrail, California Highway Patrol Sgt. David Derczo told the Press-Democrat. Neighbors heard the crash and called 911.

Wilton and his passenger, 31-year-old Michael “Seamus” Taylor of Petaluma, were pinned beneath the guardrail. Firefighters had to cut away a wooden post that was supporting the guardrail in order to extricate the victims, Petaluma Fire Captain Dan Farren told Bay City News in a report published on the Petaluma Patch news site.

Wilton died at the scene.

Taylor was trapped below both Wilton’s body and the motorcycle. Taylor suffered severe injuries, including a badly broken leg. Firefighters transported him to the Level II trauma center at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Trauma Center, but he died from his injuries on the way to the hospital, Farren said.

Both men were wearing helmets, Lyon said. Investigators were examining evidence at the scene on Monday to determine how fast the bike was traveling.

The CHP initially responded to the accident, but Petaluma police took over because it occurred within city limits.

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

Sometimes in a serious accident the individual who caused the crash suffers fatal injuries. Can the innocent victim 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.

Petaluma Motorcycle 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 motorcycle accident victims for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Two motorcyclists were killed in a collision on Highway 49 near Downieville.

Fatal motorcycle accident: Two motorcyclists were killed Sunday afternoon after one of them lost control and skidded directly into the path of the other on Highway 49 near Downieville.

•   A motorcyclist lost control of his Harley and dropped it on its side on a narrow, two-lane mountain highway in the Tahoe National Forest.

•   The motorcycle slid across the double-yellow line into oncoming traffic, into the path of a Yamaha motorcycle.

•   The Yamaha had to swerve sharply to avoid a collision and crashed into a guard rail.

•   Both motorcyclists died at the scene.

The two-lane mountain highway crash occurred at about 3 p.m., according to a report in the Sacramento Bee.

The California Highway Patrol said that a motorcyclist — later identified as 45-year-old Jerry Ralph Godbey of South Lake Tahoe – was traveling southbound on Highway 49 when he lost control of his 1998 Harley-Davidson bike north of the Carlton Flat campground near Downieville.

The Harley went down on its right side and slid into the northbound lane, directly into the path of an oncoming 2008 Yamaha, according to a KXTL News report.

The Yamaha rider was later identified as 51-year-old Purdy Brewington of Reno.

When the Harley slid in front of his motorcycle, Brewington quickly swerved to avoid being hit head-on.

The sudden move sent the Yamaha out of control and off of the roadway to the right shoulder, where it crashed into a guard rail. The impact ejected Brewington from his motorcycle and threw him about 45 feet.

Both motorcyclists were pronounced dead at the scene.

CHP investigators said they did not know why the Harley rider lost control of his motorcycle in the first place.

The road was closed for at least two hours while the preliminary accident investigation was conducted.

Downieville Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented motorcycle 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 motorcyclist was killed in a crash caused by a drunk driver on I-405 in Irvine. (Photo: Orange County Register | Scene TV)

Fatal DUI crash: Police arrested a drunk driver after a multi-vehicle chain-reaction crash that resulted in the death of a motorcyclist Thursday night on Interstate 405 in Irvine.

•   A southbound drunk driver in a Mitsubishi crashed into a Sentra sedan and knocked it across the center divider into the northbound side of the freeway.

•   The Sentra was hit by an oncoming pickup truck and came to a stop in a traffic lane, where it was hit by an oncoming motorcycle.

•   The motorcyclist was killed in the accident.

•   The drunk driver was arrested on vehicular manslaughter and DUI charges.

The deadly freeway crash occurred at about 11:33 p.m. on the southbound side of I-405 near Sand Canyon, according to a report in the Orange County Register.

California Highway Patrol officials said 27-year-old Leslie Juarez of Laguna Beach was driving a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse at a high speed, under the influence of alcohol, when she crashed into a 2006 Nissan Sentra on the freeway.

The impact knocked the Sentra over the center median wall and into the carpool and No. 1 and 2 lanes on the northbound side of the freeway, the CHP said in a news release.

A northbound 1995 Toyota Tacoma hit the  Sentra, which brought the Sentra to stop in a traffic lane on the freeway. A 1999 Suzuki motorcycle was unable to stop quickly enough to avoid crashing into the disabled Sentra, the CHP said.

The motorcyclist — a 32-year-old man from Tustin — was killed. His name was withheld, pending notification of his next of kin.

Juarez suffered minor injuries and was taken to Hoag Hospital to be treated. She was arrested on charges of  gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Police later booked her into the Orange County Jail, CHP officer Curtis Martin said in a video interview with the Register (via Scene TV).

The accident remains under investigation. The CHP is urging anyone with information to call the Santa Ana office at (714) 567-6000.

Fatal Drunk Driving Accident Statistics

Almost 11,000 people die every year in drunk driving car accidents on U.S. roads, according to federal government statistics published by the non-profit group Alcohol Alert.  Drunk driving deaths account for more than a third of all U.S. traffic fatalities.

Many people believe drunk drivers fare better than their victims on the road, but that is not true. Almost two-thirds of those who are killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes are drunk drivers.

Drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes are typically not first-time offenders. Statistics show they are eight times more likely to have a prior drunk driving conviction than other drivers involved in fatal accidents.

More than half of drunk drivers involved in fatal accidents have levels of alcohol in their blood that are twice the legal limit — or more.

Irvine Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented drunk driving 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 active duty Marine died in a motorcycle crash on Highway 76 in North San Diego County.

Friends and relatives are mourning the loss of a 32-year-old active duty Marine who died Sunday in a motorcycle crash on a remote stretch of Highway 76 in the Pauma Valley area of North San Diego County.

•   A motorcyclist was riding on a curvy stretch of a remote mountain highway. A witness said he was riding at a speed of 40 mph in a 25 mph zone.

•   The motorcyclist attempted to navigate a sharp curve at that speed and lost control of his bike.

•   The rider was thrown off the bike and crashed into a metal guard rail. He died at the scene.

•   No other vehicles were involved. Drugs and alcohol were not a factor.

The fatal accident occurred at 2 p.m., according to a report in the Ramona Sentinel.

California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said the 32-year-old Marine, whose identity was withheld, was riding a 2007 Ducati motorcycle westbound on State Route 76, just east of Red Gate Road near Palomar Mountain.

A witness who was directly behind the Marine said he was traveling at about 40 mph in a 25 mph zone when he lost control while trying to navigate a sharp curve on the remote mountain road.

The motorcycle slid out and the rider was thrown off the bike. He crashed into a metal guard rail.

Paramedics pronounced the Marine dead at the scene.

Drugs and alcohol were not involved in the accident, nor were any other vehicles, Bettencourt said.

Even when there is no one else to blame, it is a tragedy to lose a life on our roads.

Motorcycle Accident Fatality Statistics

By their very nature, motorcycles are less crashworthy than cars, yet they remain equally if not more tempting to drive at risky speeds. So it’s not surprising that:

• Motorcyclists are 25 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle mile traveled and five times more likely to be injured.
• The fatality rate per registered vehicle for motorcyclists is six times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants.
• At least 35 percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared with 23 percent for drivers of passenger cars, 19 percent for light truck drivers, and 7 percent for large truck drivers.

These are National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics reported by the non-profit Insurance Information Institute.

More than 4,500 people died in motorcycle crashes in 2010, according to the NHTSA. That number was a very slight increase over 2009.

San Diego Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented motorcycle 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 73-year-old man was killed on a motor scooter on Highway 78 in Ramona. (Photos; Ramona Sentinel)

A 73-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle accident Tuesday afternoon when he was hit by a car on State Route 78 in Ramona, about 40 miles northeast of San Diego.

•  An elderly man on a motor scooter ran a stop sign and continued across a rural highway near San Diego.

•   An oncoming car hit the motor scooter. 

•   The man died at the scene.

The fatal accident occurred shortly after 3:45 p.m., according to a  Channel 10 News report.

The elderly man, whom the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office identified as Harold Lloyd Calhoun, was riding a motor scooter southbound on Ash Street just before the accident.

Calhoun apparently failed to stop at a stop sign where Ash Street crosses Route 78. He continued across the rural highway and was struck by a westbound car (see photos).

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Randy Scales told the Ramona Sentinel that the driver of the car, whose identity was not released, tried to stop but could not avoid hitting Calhoun.

Paramedics pronounced Calhoun dead at the scene.  The male driver of the vehicle and a female passenger did not report any injuries, Scales said.

This is the intersection where Calhoun failed to stop at the sign and was struck by an oncoming vehicle on the rural highway in Ramona. (Google Maps)

What Makes Rural Highways So Dangerous?

Only 23 percent of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, but 57 percent of all motor vehicle accident fatalities occur on rural roads, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The NHTSA’s latest figures show that the fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled was 2.5 times higher in rural areas than in urban areas.

A large majority of car accident deaths in rural areas — 67 percent — occur on highways, where the speed limit is 55 mph or higher. In urban areas, the opposite is true: 68 percent of all fatal crashes occur on roads where the speed limit is less than 50 mph.

Rural highways often are only two lanes, which presents significant danger to motorists who use the oncoming traffic lane to pass at high speed.

Finally, hospitals are few and far between in rural areas. The risk of dying on the way to the hospital is significantly higher in a rural accident than an urban one.

San Diego Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented motorcycle 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 USC student was critically injured in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident.

Hit-and-run accident: Los Angeles police are looking for a driver of a 1993 GMC Safari van that struck a USC student on a motorcycle Tuesday and then fled the scene. The student was critically injured.

•   A 21-year-old USC student was riding a motorcycle when he was hit by a van.  The van driver fled the scene.

•   The student suffered multiple fractures and was hospitalized in critical condition.

•   Police found the van but are still looking for the driver.

The motorcycle accident occurred at about 6:40 p.m., according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

The 21-year-old student, whose name was not released, was riding a motorcycle near the intersection of Vermont and Lexington avenues when he was struck by a burgundy 1993 GMC Safari van with the license number 4MYH882.

Police said the driver — who was described as a 35- to 45-year-old Hispanic male, about 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 170 to 190 pounds — fled the scene in the van after the accident. The van was seen heading west on Lexington Avenue.

Los Angeles police detective Josephine Mapson told USC/Annenberg TV News that the student was transported to a hospital in critical condition. Mapson said the student suffered multiple fractures, including “fractured ribs, his right arm, his leg and left wrist.” He was not expected to be released from the hospital immediately.

Police found the GMC van involved in the accident early Wednesday afternoon, but did not find the suspect. When he is found, he will face felony hit-and-run charges, Mapson said.

The LAPD Central Traffic Division urged anyone with any information about the driver or the accident to contact Detective Mapson at (213) 972-1840. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

More than 106,000 motorcycles were involved in crashes in 2009, including non-injury accidents, according to latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Almost 4,500 people died in those accidents.

The fatality rate per registered vehicle for motorcyclists was 6 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants, according to NHTSA.

Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

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