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A civilian woman was killed when a Marine Corps humvee (above) slammed head-on into her car in Joshua Tree. (Cropped from a photo by Jimmy Biggerstaff | Hi-Desert Star)

Fatal Humvee crash: A 26-year-old Yucca Valley woman was killed Friday when a U.S. Marine Corps Humvee slammed into her Ford Focus on Highway 62 in Joshua Tree.

•   A military Humvee veered across the center line of a highway near the U.S. Marines Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms.

•   The Humvee crashed head-on into an oncoming Ford Focus driven by a 26-year-old woman.

•   Both vehicles overturned.

•   The woman driving the Ford Focus died at the scene.

The deadly rural highway accident occurred at about 3:30 p.m., according to a report in the Hi-Desert Star.

California Highway Patrol officials said the military Humvee was driven by 19-year-old Juan Lira, a U.S. Marine from Oceanside.

Marine Corps Captain Nick Mannweiler, spokesman for the Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, said the Humvee came from a Camp Pendleton-based unit.

Lira was driving the Humvee eastbound on Highway 62. For unknown reasons he allowed the vehicle to drift across the center divider into the oncoming traffic lane about one mile east of White Feather Road.

The Humvee crashed head-on into a westbound 2010 Ford Focus driven by 26-year-old Kristin Thrawl of Yucca Valley. The violent impact caused the Ford Focus to roll over and land on its roof. The Humvee rolled onto its side. (See photo.)

Thrawl died at the scene. She was pronounced dead at about 3:45 p.m., according to the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office.

Lira was not injured.

The CHP is investigating the accident.

Joshua Tree Car 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

One driver was killed and four other people were hospitalized after an accident on SR 84 in Sunol.

Highway crash: One person died and another four were hospitalized Saturday morning after a head-on collision on State Route 84 in Sunol.

•    A man driving a Dodge Viper suddenly crossed into oncoming traffic on a rural highway.

•    The Dodge crashed head-on into a Toyota pickup truck carrying three passengers.

•   The Dodge driver died at the scene. All four occupants of the Toyota truck were taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries.

The deadly car accident occurred around 9:15 a.m., according to a report in the San Jose Mercury News.

California Highway Patrol officials said 46-year-old Todd Shur of Hayward was driving a 2003 Dodge Viper eastbound on State Route 84 near Main Street in Sunol when the accident occurred.

For unknown reasons, Shur suddenly swerved to the left and crossed the double yellow center line, driving directly into the path of oncoming traffic on the two-lane rural highway, according to a KTVU News report.

Shur’s Dodge crashed head-on into a westbound 2012 Toyota pick-up truck driven by a 48-year-old man from Stockton.

The impact caused the Dodge to skid onto the dirt shoulder; it spun around and came to rest facing the opposite direction.  The Toyota truck, meanwhile, rolled over onto its left side and completely blocked the westbound lane.

A 2002 Chevrolet, driven by a 41-year-old man from Union City, was traveling directly behind the Toyota truck at the time of the accident. The driver of the Chevrolet braked and swerved to avoid the crash, according to the KTVU report, but his vehicle was struck by debris and was disabled in the westbound lane.

Shur died at the scene.

The driver of the Toyota truck and three of his passengers were taken to San Jose Regional Medical Center to be treated for minor injuries they suffered in the accident. The KTVU report said the victims were complaining of back pain.

The driver of the Chevrolet did not report any injuries.

What is a minor injury?

Police and firefighter classifications of “minor injuries” can be misleading. Even a so-called “minor” injury may be far more serious than it initially appears and can have a major impact on the victim’s life. Some injuries aren’t even evident until days or weeks after an accident.

Injuries that are designated as “minor” may include whiplash, strains, sprains, lacerations, and bone fractures. All of these types of injuries may vary in severity.

* Whiplash, for example, is neck injury caused by sudden jerking or “whipping” of the head, as often occurs in car accidents, according to the National Institutes of Health(NIH). It may not be noticed for several days, yet it can cause stiffness and numbness in the head, neck, back, shoulders, and arms. The initial symptoms may appear to go away and then return for months or even years, according to the NIH report.

* Strains and sprains are soft tissue injuries. Strains can cause pain, muscle spasms, swelling, and trouble moving the muscle, according to the NIH. Sprains involve pain, swelling, bruising, and being unable to move the joint. Initial treatment often requires taking time off work to rest the injury, sometimes followed by longer-term physical therapy.

* Lacerations include cuts, tears, and puncture wounds. A variety of factors determine how quickly a laceration may heal. Infection is always a risk with a laceration, and this risk can be particularly dangerous for diabetics. Even minor lacerations may cause permanent scars.

* Bone fractures are very common in car accidents. They can be extremely painful, and may involve swelling, bruising, or bleeding as well as numbness, tingling, and the inability to move a limb. Some fractures require surgery to implant plates, pins, or screws to keep the bone in place. The impact of a fracture on daily activities is immediate and often disabling. Follow-up surgery and physical therapy may stretch the recovery period to months.

Sunol Highway Accident Lawyers

Two people were killed in a head-on crash on Twentynine Palms Highway in Morongo Valley.

Fatal highway accident: Two drivers were killed Monday afternoon in a head-on collision on Twentynine Palms Highway in Morongo Valley.

•   A BMW sedan crossed the center lines on a rural highway and veered into oncoming traffic.

•   The BMW crashed head-on into an oncoming SUV.

•   Both drivers died at the scene.

The deadly car accident occurred in the afternoon near near Ole Street, according to a news report in the High Desert Star.

A BMW sedan was traveling westbound on Twentynine Palms Highway when the driver, a 50-year-old Anaheim Hills man, crossed the center lines and veered into  the eastbound lanes.

The BMW crashed head-on into an oncoming  Toyota sports utility vehicle, driven by a 54-year-old woman from Morongo Valley. The SUV rolled over onto the south shoulder.

Both drivers were trapped in their vehicles and were pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation.

Ask the personal injury lawyer: 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.

Morongo Valley Highway 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.

Reverend Wolfgang Krismanits, known as “Father Wolf,” was killed in a car accident on Highway 156 in Hollister. (Accident photo: CBS | Inset: Union-Democrat)

Fatal car accident: An Anglican priest and his wife were killed Tuesday afternoon when their car crashed into a big-rig after being struck by another car that ran a red light on Highway 156 in Hollister.

•   The driver of a Nissan Altima ran a red light at the intersection with a busy rural highway.

•  The Altima crashed into a Mercury Sable on the highway, pushing it underneath a big-rig.

•   The driver of the Sable, a local priest, died at the scene. His wife died from her injuries shortly thereafter.  The Altima driver was airlifted to a hospital with major injuries.

The deadly big-rig collision occurred on State Highway 156 at San Felipe Road at 3:20 p.m., according to a report in the local newspaper, the Union-Democrat.

California Highway Patrol Officer Dakota Smith said 24-year-old Rudy Lopez of Morgan Hill was driving a Nissan Altima southbound on San Felipe Road when he approached the intersection with Highway 156.

Lopez ran a red light at the intersection and crashed into a 2002 Mercury Sable traveling eastbound on Highway 156, Smith said.

The impact pushed the Mercury underneath a westbound big-rig, driven by Rosario Medina, 42, of Salinas. Lopez’s car hit a power pole and tumbled down an embankment.

The driver of the Mercury Sable, 60-year-old Reverend Wolfgang Krismanits of Sonora, died at the scene. Known to his followers as “Father Wolf,” Krismanits was an Anglican priest at the historic Red Church in Sonora.

His wife, 51-year-old Ladonn Ann Krismanits, was severely injured. She was transported to Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister, where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.

Lopez was airlifted via helicopter to San Jose Regional Medical Center with major injuries. The big-rig driver was not hurt.

The CHP said the weather conditions were warm and clear at the time of the accident.

Hollister 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.

Three people were injured in a drunk driving accident on Highway 29 in Napa.

Three people were injured Wednesday night in a drunk driving accident on Highway 29 near the Darms Lane Vineyard in Napa.

•   A drunk driver in a 15-year-old pickup truck tried to pass a BMW on Highway 29.

•   The driver lost control of the truck and slammed into the side of the BMW. Both cars went off the highway.

•   The drunk driver, his passenger, and the BMW driver all were taken to the same hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

•   The drunk driver was arrested and taken to jail.

The rural highway crash occurred shortly after 8:30 p.m., according to a report in the Napa Valley Register.

California Highway Patrol Officer Garret Ray said 56-year-old Steven Perez of St. Helena was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

Perez was driving a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup truck northbound on Highway 29 when he tried to pass a 2003 BMW 325i north of Darms Lane.

As he attempted to speed past the BMW, Perez lost control of his pickup truck and sideswiped the car, knocking it off of the highway and into an oak tree.

The pickup truck went off of the road, rolled over, and finally came to rest on Washington Street, which runs parallel to the highway.

Both Perez and his passenger, 49-year-old Timothy Case of St. Helena, were injured in the collision. The driver of the BMW, 53-year-old Ana Vigil De Cerda of St. Helena, also was injured. Their injuries were said to be minor, but no information about the nature of the injuries was provided.

All three of them were transported via ground ambulance to Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa. Perez was treated and released into police custody. He was arrested on drunk driving charges and booked into the Napa County Jail, Ray said.

Why Rural Highways Are 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.

Napa 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.

Two drivers were hospitalized with major injuries after a head-on collision on Highway 12 in Napa. (Photo: Rohnert Park Patch)

Serious car accident: Two drivers were hospitalized with major injuries after one of them crossed the double-yellow lines on Highway 12/121  and crashed head-on into the other driver’s vehicle Saturday in Napa.

•   A car traveling on rural Highway 12/121 suddenly crossed the double-yellow line and veered into oncoming traffic.

•   The car crashed head-on into a pickup truck. The car caught fire.

•   Both drivers were trapped inside of their vehicles and had to be extricated by firefighters.

•   Both drivers were hospitalized with major injuries. One was airlifted to a Level II trauma center.

The rural highway accident occurred at about 4 p.m., according to a report in the Napa Valley Register.

California Highway Patrol Sgt. Gilberto Jose said 48-year-old Ione resident Stanley Hilton was driving a Mercury Cougar southbound on Highway 12/121 when, for unknown reasons, he crossed the double-yellow lines into the oncoming traffic lane  at Old Sonoma Road, near Cuttings Wharf Road.

The Cougar crashed head-on into a northbound Dodge pickup truck driven by 39-year-old Andrea Virdell of Rohnert Park, Jose said. The Cougar burst into flames. Motorists stopped and extinguished the fire, but Hilton was trapped inside the car, Jose said. Virdell also was trapped inside her vehicle.  Firefighters had to extricate both drivers.

Both drivers suffered major injuries, Jose said. Hilton was airlifted by CHP helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Virdell was taken by ground ambulance to Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa.

The exact nature and extent of their injuries was not known, Jose said.

Why Rural Highways Are 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.

Napa 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.

Unsafe passing caused a fatal accident on Highway 1 near Hearst Castle. (Photos: San Luis Obispo Tribune)

A Paso Robles man has been charged with vehicular homicide for causing a fatal car accident Monday on Highway 1 near Hearst Castle in San Simeon. The suspect tried to pass a tour bus on a blind curve and crashed head-on into a car in which the victim was a passenger.

•   A man driving a pickup truck tried to pass a slower-moving tour bus on the narrow, two-lane coastal highway near Hearst Castle.

•   The truck moved into the oncoming traffic lane but the driver couldn’t see the road ahead. He slammed into a passenger car.

•   A woman in the car died at the scene. The man driving the car suffered critical injuries.

•   The pickup truck driver suffered moderate injuries and was jailed on charges of vehicular homicide with gross negligence.

The accident occurred at about 4:30 p.m., according to an article in the San Luis Obispo Tribune.

The California Highway Patrol reported that 55-year-old Jeffrey P. LaChance of Paso Robles was driving a Toyota Tundra pickup truck/SUV on the winding two-lane coastal highway when he attempted to pass a Holiday Inn tour bus on a blind curve.

The Tundra drove into the oncoming traffic lane at passing speed and sideswiped the bus, clipping the left front wheel well, CHP officer Ward Sterling said.

Directly in front of the bus — and out of LaChance’s view — was an oncoming Toyota Camry driven by 61-year-old Peter D. Fuller of Emmaus, Pennsylvania (north of Philadelphia). The Tundra slammed head-on into the Camry.

The Tundra and Camry then skidded into the tour bus, and the Tundra ricocheted off, hitting a Chrysler Town & Country van. The Tundra rolled over onto its side.

The Camry passenger, 63-year-old Joan B. Fuller, also of Emmaus, died at the scene. Her husband, Peter D. Fuller, suffered critical head injuries and was transported to the trauma unit at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo. He was still in a coma as of Tuesday morning.

The Tundra driver suffered moderate injuries. He was taken to  Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, where he was treated and released into police custody.  He was arrested on charges of vehicular homicide with gross negligence and booked into the county jail.

No other injuries were reported.

The accident is still under investigation.

San Simeon 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.