Tag

A 22-year-old was killed by a wrong-way driver on SR 56 in Rancho Penasquitos.

Fatal highway crash: A 22-year-old man was killed Thursday when a wrong-way driver slammed into his car on State Route 56 in Rancho Penasquitos, 20 miles north of central San Diego.

•   An 18-year-old in a Land Rover SUV veered across the center median of State Route 56 and slammed head-on into an oncoming Toyota Scion. 

•   The 22-year-old driver of the Scion died at the scene.

•   The wrong-way driver was hospitalized with severe injuries.  Police suspect he was under the influence of some kind of medication or controlled substance at the time of the fatal accident.

The deadly head-on car accident occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m., according to a CBS Channel 8 News report.

California Highway Patrol officials said 18-year-old Timothy Barnette of San Diego was driving a 2002 Land Rover Discovery SUV eastbound on State route 56 when he suddenly lost control and veered across the sandy center median into oncoming traffic.

The Land Rover slammed head-on into a westbound 2010 Toyota Scion driven by 22-year-old Nick Hart.

Marine Corps veteran Danny Donnellan, who was driving behind the Scion witnessed the entire accident. He said the impact launched the Land Rover “almost straight up in the air.” Barnett was ejected from his vehicle and had to be removed from underneath the SUV, which had traveled up an embankment.

Donnellan, who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, tried to use his first aid training to assist the victims but Hart — who had to be extricated from his crushed compact car — had no pulse and was bleeding profusely from his ear.

“He had obviously suffered a blunt trauma to the head,” Donnellan told CBS8 News. Hart died at the scene.

Donnellan said the wrong-way driver, Barnette, was conscious but in shock and “obviously very confused as to what had happened.”  Barnette was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla to be treated for severe injuries. He later was reported to be in fair condition.

CHP investigators suspected that Barnette was under the influence of some type of medication or other controlled substance at the time of the crash. A spokesman for the CHP said criminal charges were expected to be filed against the 18-year-old, pending toxicology results.

San Diego Highway Crash Lawyers

A mother of three was killed when her car was hit by a wrong-way driver in Mission Viejo. (Photo: ABC News)

Fatal car accident: A mother of three was killed Tuesday when her car was slammed by a wrong-way driver on Santa Margarita Parkway in Mission Viejo.

•   A wrong-way driver in a pickup truck crashed head-on into a miivan driven by a mother of three children.

•   The minivan driver died at the scene.

•   The wrong-way driver sustained critical injuries.

•   Authorities said the wrong-way driver, who had a prior DUI conviction, may have been  under the influence of alcohol when the fatal car accident occurred.

The deadly accident occurred at about 11:40 p.m., according to an ABC News report.

Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jim Amormino said 42-year-old William Carroll of Mission Viejo as driving a Ford F-250 pickup truck on El Toro Road when he made a left turn, heading south, into the northbound side of Santa Margarita Parkway.

The pickup truck slammed into an oncoming northbound Toyota Sienna minivan driven by 36-year-old Ana Martinez of Trabuco Canyon.

Martinez, who was the mother of three children between the ages of 7 and 14, died at the scene.

Carroll suffered major injuries and was transported to Mission Hospital, where he initially was listed in critical condition.

The Sheriff’s Department said that the wrong-way driver had a prior DUI conviction and that alcohol was suspected as a factor in the fatal accident.

 Mission Viejo Car Accident Lawyers

A hit-and-run driver ran a red light and caused a fatal multi-car accident in Temecula. (Photo: SWRNN)

Fatal hit-and-run crash:  Police arrested a Menifee man on vehicular homicide charges after he ran a red light, caused a fatal accident, and fled the scene Monday in Temecula.

•   A driver in a pickup truck ran a red light and crashed into two cars in an intersection in front of a shopping center.

•   The truck driver fled the scene.

•   One woman was killed and two others were seriously injured in the hit-and-run crash. 

•   Police caught and arrested the hit-and-run driver, who was treated for injuries and released. He was charged with vehicular homicide and felony hit-and-run.

The deadly car accident occurred at about 2:45 p.m. at the intersection of Rancho California Road and Town Center, according to a Valley News report.

Witnesses told police that a man — later identified as 63-year-old Travis Hughes Braswell of Menifee — was driving a pickup truck westbound on Rancho California Road when he ran a red light at the Town Center shopping area.

The truck slammed into a gold Pontiac, and then spun out of control and crashed into a gold Saturn. Braswell fled the scene.

The woman driving the Pontiac, 27-year-old Sharina Thomason of Escondido, suffered deadly injuries was taken to a nearby hospital in “full arrest,” Riverside County Fire Department spokeswoman Jody Hagemann told the Southwest Riverside News Network. Thomason was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Two other victims were taken to hospitals to be treated for moderate and minor injuries, Hagemann said.

Police found Braswell in the shopping center. He was transported to a local hospital to be treated, and then arrested on vehicular homicide and felony hit-and-run charges.  Police booked Braswell into the Southwest Detention Center.

The accident remains under investigation. Anyone with further information is urged to contact the Temecula Police Department at 951-696-3000.

Temecula Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyers

A drunk driver drove the wrong way on Highway 24 in Lafayette and caused a fatal accident.

Fatal freeway crash: A drunk driver who was going the wrong way on Highway 24 crashed into another vehicle and killed the driver Friday in Lafayette.

•   A drunk driver drove the wrong way on the freeway and crashed head-on into another vehicle.

•   The other driver was killed in the freeway crash.

•   A third car was involved in the accident. 

•   The  drunk driver was arrested.

The deadly drunk driving accident occurred at around 1:30 a.m., according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

California Highway Patrol Officer John Fransen said 20-year-old Annelise McKay of Brentwood was driving a Toyota Avalon, with only one working headlight, eastbound in the westbound lanes of the freeway near St. Stephens Road.

The Toyota crashed head-on into a westbound Geo Metro driven by 51-year-old Alvaro Cruz of Pittsburg. The impact caused the Metro to spin out and crash into a Buick sedan.

Cruz died at the scene.

The driver of the Buick suffered from pain and was taken to a hospital by his wife.

The wrong-way drunk driver sustained minor injuries. She was taken to John Muir Medical Center and then released into police custody. She was arrested on drunk driving charges. The CHP did not say whether she would face any additional charges.

Lafayette Freeway Crash Lawyers

An unsafe lane change on I-80 caused a major injury accident in San Pablo.

Three people were hospitalized with major injuries Thursday after a car accident caused by an unsafe lane change on westbound Interstate 80 in San Pablo.

•    An SUV made an unsafe lane change on I-80 and slammed into a Honda sedan.

•    The Honda crashed into the center divider and flipped over the wall.

•    Three passengers in the Honda were hospitalized with major injuries.

The three-vehicle freeway accident occurred shortly before 4 p.m., according to a report in the Contra Costa Times.

California Highway Patrol officials said the driver of a 2009 Toyota Highlander made an unsafe lane change and crashed into a 1992 Honda Prelude.

The impact caused the driver of the Honda to lose control of the vehicle and it slammed into the center divider, the CHP said. The car flipped over the wall, partially ejecting one of the passengers.

The driver of the Honda suffered minor injuries, but all three passengers in that vehicle sustained major injuries and were hospitalized at Doctor’s Medical Center in San Pablo. The three men were from Richmond. Their names were not immediately released.

The driver of the Toyota SUV and a third vehicle involved in the accident were not injured.

Aggressive Driving: Unsafe Lane Changes Cause Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines aggressive driving as “the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.” Speeding, improper lane changing, tailgating and improper passing all are examples of aggressive driving, according to the NHTSA.

In California, unsafe lane changes are among the top six causes of car accidents, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

San Pablo Freeway 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

An SUV ran a stoplight and caused a fatal accident in Oakdale. (Photos; Modesto Bee)

Fatal car accident: A Turlock man was killed Monday when his car was broadsided by an SUV that ran a stop sign on Bentley Road in Oakdale.

•     An SUV ran a stop sign on a rural road and slammed into the driver’s side of a Toyota Corolla.

•     The driver of the Corolla died at the scene.

•     CHP officers said neither drugs nor alcohol were involved in the accident.

The deadly accident occurred at about 7 a.m., according to an ABC Channel 10 News report.

California Highway Patrol officer Eric Parsons said 22-year-old Oakdale resident Oscar Ibarra was driving a Jeep Compass northbound on Bentley Road when he drove through the stop sign at Claribel Road.

The Jeep slammed into the driver’s side of a 1999 Toyota Corolla driven by a 46-year-old Oakdale man.

The impact forced both vehicles through a fence and into a cattle pasture on the northwest corner of Claribel and Bentley, according to a report in the Modesto Bee.

The driver of the Toyota died at the scene. His identity was not immediately released.

Parsons said neither drugs nor alcohol were believed to be a factor in the crash. Both drivers were wearing seat belts.

A Good Samaritan was killed while trying to help an accident victim on Interstate 80 in Dixon. (Photo: CBS News)

Fatal freeway accident: A Good Samaritan was struck and killed while trying to rescue an accident victim Thursday morning on Interstate 80 in Dixon, about 23 miles from Sacramento.

•   A woman lost control of her Toyota and it flipped over on the freeway.

•   A Good Samaritan stopped to help the woman in the Toyota.

•   A third vehicle crashed into the Toyota and the Good Samaritan.

•   The Good Samaritan died from his injuries. The other victim remained hospitalized but was expected to survive.

The deadly accident occurred shortly after 4:55 a.m., according to a CBS News report.

California Highway Patrol Sgt. Phil Grant said it started when 44-year-old Maria Lopez of Fairfield lost control of her 2004 Toyota Camry on eastbound Interstate 80 near Dixon Avenue. The Toyota, which was traveling at about 75 mph, overturned in the fast lane, nearest the center divider.

At that point a Good Samaritan – 36-year-old Spencer Myers of Vacaville — stopped to help Lopez, Grant told the Vacaville Reporter. Myers parked his vehicle in the center divider and rushed to the Toyota to try to free Lopez, who was strapped into her seat belt inside the overturned car.

While Myers was trying to rescue Lopez, a 2002 Dodge Stratus slammed into the Toyota and struck Myers as well. Myers was thrown into the center divider and Lopez was ejected from her car.

Myers was airlifted by helicopter to U.C. Davis Medical Center, where he died from injuries within about an hour. Lopez also was taken to U.C. Davis Medical Center; she was expected to survive.

The driver of the Dodge Stratus, 32-year-old Golden Pryor of Fairfield, was not injured. Grant told Fox40 News that Pryor did not see the overturned Toyota or the the two victims. Grant also said that alcohol and drugs do not appear to be involved in the accident.

Dixon Freeway Accident Lawyers

One person was killed and three others were injured in a rural highway accident in Somis.

Fatal highway accident: One person was killed and three others injured Monday in a five-car crash on State Route 118 in Somis.

•     A driver rear-ended a car in front of him on a rural highway, pushing the car into the oncoming traffic lane.

•     The car was broadsided by an oncoming truck. The driver died from his injuries.

•     Two other cars were hit in the accident.

•     All of the drivers were injured and taken to hospitals.

The deadly car accident  just before 4:30 p.m., according to a report in the Ventura County Star.

California Highway Patrol officials said 28-year-old Moorpark resident Domingo Mendoza was driving westbound on Highway 118 (Los Angeles Avenue) at about 50 mph when he rear-ended a sedan driven by 37-year-old Alejandro Hernandez Tamlatzi of Oxnard.

The impact pushed Tamlatzi’s car sideways into the eastbound lane, where it was broadsided by a truck driven by 40-year-old Francisco Arroyo of Moorpark.

Meanwhile, Mendoza’s car rearended a minivan driven by 38-year-old Raul Lopez of Camarillo. The impact from that crash pushed Lopez’s vehicle into a fifth car, driven by 28-year-old Aimee Birkner of Simi Valley.

Tamlatzi suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, where he died at 6:57 p.m.

Mendoza and Lopez sustained injuries and were taken to Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, CHP officials said. The nature and extent of their injuries was not immediately reported.

Arroyo suffered minor injuries and was treated at Los Robles Hospital.

The accident remained under investigation.

Somis Highway Accident Lawyers

Four people were injured in a highway crash on State Route 1 in Santa Maria.

Rural highway crash: Four people were injured Monday in a head-on collision on Highway 1 in Santa Maria. One of the victims was airlifted to a hospital.

•    A man driving a Cadillac SRX failed to navigate a left turn off of Highway 1, crashed into a guardrail, and careened back into oncoming traffic.

•    The Cadillac hit two vehicles, one head-on. All three drivers and one passenger were injured.  

•    A driver of a pickup truck was severely injured and had to be airlifted to a hospital.

The car accident occurred at about 6:50 a.m., according to a report in the Santa Maria Times.

California Highway Patrol officials said 25-year-old Lompoc resident Jose Arevalo as driving a black Cadillac SRX northbound on Highway 1 when he failed to complete a turn onto Jalama Road.

The Cadillac crossed the southbound lane, hit a guard rail, and careened back into the southbound lane, where it sideswiped a 2005 GMC Sierra driven by 49-year-old Alicia Flores, also of Lompoc.

The Cadillac then crashed head-on into a 1995 Dodge pickup truck driven by 36-year-old Victor Rodriguez, also of Lompoc.  Rodriquez was trapped inside the pickup truck. It took firefighters 40 minutes to extricate him from the vehicle.

Rodriguez suffered severe injuries in the highway crash and was airlifted by helicopter to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. His passenger, 57-year-old Laura Taylor, was injured as well, but the nature and extent of her injuries was not immediately known.

Taylor, Arevalo, and Flores all were transported via ground ambulance to Lompoc Valley Hospital to be treated for injuries they sustained in the highway crash.

Highway 1 was temporarily closed while officials cleared the accident scene and conducted a preliminary investigation.

Santa Maria Car Accident Lawyers