Southern California Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Hit-and-run accidents in Southern California occur almost on a daily basis. Hit-and-run accident victims and their families are the worst sufferers in these situations because not only are they suffer serious personal injuries or killed as a result of the accident, but they are saddled with sky-high medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, medication and loss of earnings – and they have no one to hold accountable for their injuries, damages and loss.

Our client, Shaun Edward Earnhart, is exactly in this situation. Earnhart was seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident when he had got off his car on the shoulder of the eastbound 60 Freeway off-ramp at the Phillips Ranch Road exit in Pomona. Earnhart had got off the car because he had gotten sick from eating at a restaurant. According to California Highway Patrol officials, it was at this time that the driver of the Mercedes Benz exiting the freeway veered into the shoulder and struck Earnhart. The impact of the pedestrian-car crash sent Earnhart flying back, over the Mercedes, and across the off-ramp lanes. He suffered critical injuries and is still in the hospital.

The driver of the Mercedes dropped a black, custom-made, spider web-shaped grill at the scene after the impact. Other than that the Mercedes did not slow, brake or stop. In fact, according to Earnhart's distraught girlfriend, the driver of the Mercedes accelerated down the off-ramp and fled the scene so fast that she could not even get the vehicle license plate number. Based on the physical evidence at the scene, CHP officials believe that the Mercedes should have considerable front end damage. Investigators also believe that the spider web-shaped grill recovered from the scene belonged to a customized AMG-style Mercedes Benz. The part number on the grill was AMG A 220 885 06 53.

Continue reading " Los Angeles County Personal Injury Attorneys Seek Leads in Freeway Hit-and-Run Accident " »

Police in Mission Viejo arrested Jesse Karim Pena, a 31-year-old emergency medical technician at Mission Hospital on suspicion of raping a woman inside a hospital while she was too intoxicated to resist, The Orange County Register reports. Police are saying that they believe there may have been more victims in this personal injury case. Investigators said DNA linked Pena to the rape of a patient at Mission Hospital who reported to police that she was assaulted while receiving medical care at the hospital.

The victim, who was only identified as a 31-year-old woman, was taken to Mission Hospital by ambulance on February 20, 2009. Officials got a 911 call from the hospital from the woman who told investigators that she felt as if she had been raped. The woman was apparently semi-conscious and intoxicated during the assault, but she told officials that she knew someone raped her. The newspaper reports that the woman was not able to resist because she was under the influence of "an intoxicating substance, an anesthetic substance and a controlled substance." Police investigators took DNA samples from all three emergency medical technicians who had access to the woman at the hospital. The DNA on her gown matched Pena's, officials said.

Continue reading " EMT Raped Woman in Orange County Hospital, Officials Say " »

A Yucaipa couple--Clyde Arnett, 87 and his wife, Mildred Arnett, 88--were killed in a Palm Springs car accident after a speeding driver rear-ended their sedan that was stopped on the shoulder of Highway 111. According to a news report in The Desert Sun, the fatal car accident occurred early morning June 24, 2009 on northbound state Route 111 near Gateway Drive.

Clyde and Mildred Arnett had parked their Ford Crown Victoria sedan on the northbound shoulder of the highway when they were rear-ended at high speed by a 45-year-old Victorville man driving a Mercedes, Palm Springs police said. Witnesses told police that the man behind the wheel of the Mercedes was driving erratically just before the car collision. The Arnetts were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Mercedes was not seriously injured.

Continue reading " Elderly Couple Killed in Riverside County Car Accident " »

Steven Alex Sanchez, 19, died and three others were injured in an Los Angeles County car accident the night of June 23, 2009 after their car veered off a mountain road in the Angeles National Forest, CBS News reports. The fatal car crash occurred at mile marker 23 of San Gabriel Canyon Road near Highway 39 as a Ford Mustang went off the rural road and over a cliff. Two other occupants in the car suffered moderate injuries and apparently had to be rescued. The injured victims were transported to an area hospital.

Continue reading " Fatal Los Angeles County Car Accident " »

Seven people suffered injuries in a Pasadena street intersection bus accident involving a Pasadena Area Rapid Transit System (ARTS) bus and a sedan, the Pasadena Star News reports. The bus-car accident occurred the morning of June 23, 2009 after the bus, which was traveling north on Raymond Avenue collided with a sedan, jumped the curb and slammed into a traffic light. The sedan had been heading east on Holly Street. All the seven people who were injured were bus passengers. Pasadena police officials believe one of the two vehicles ran a red light. The injuries were not major, but were characterized as "moderate." Most involved back and neck injuries.

Continue reading " Pasadena Bus Versus Car Accident Injures Seven " »

Gabriel Pompa, 30, was killed in a North Hollywood hit-and-run pedestrian accident early morning June 22, 2009, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Pompa was reportedly struck near the intersection of Satsuma Avenue and Vanowen Street in North Hollywood, Los Angeles police officials said. Officials said they responded after a motorist driving by saw Pompa's body lying on the street and called 911. So far, no witnesses have contacted police about this fatal hit-and-run accident. However, officials are hoping to get some information about the hit-and-run driver off the cameras in the area. Investigators are looking into how the pedestrian accident may have occurred, but are now saying that there was no marked crosswalk where Pompa was hit.

Continue reading " Los Angeles Fatal Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident " »

Melissa Rosales Dennis, 19, was killed in a Long Beach rollover car accident after she crashed on a 710 Freeway off-ramp the morning of June 19, 2009. According to a news article in the Daily Breeze, Dennis lost control of her 1993 Acura Integra, which rolled over and came to rest on its hood on the Sixth Street off-ramp. No other vehicles were involved in this fatal car accident. Long Beach fire officials pronounced Dennis dead at the scene. Long Beach traffic accident investigators are still trying to determine what caused this car accident. If you have more information about this fatal car crash, please contact the Long Beach Police Department at 562-570-7355.

Continue reading " Fatal Los Angeles County Rollover Car Accident " »

A man in his 40s was injured in an Irvine bicycle accident the morning of June 19, 2009 after a hit-and-run driver struck him at a city intersection, The Orange County Register reports. The Orange County hit-and-run accident apparently occurred at the intersection of Irvine Center Drive and Pacifica. The bicyclist was conscious and breathing after he was struck, but seemed to have suffered hip injuries, Orange County Fire Authority officials said. There is no vehicle description available of the hit-and-run car.

Continue reading " Orange County Hit-and-Run Bicycle Accident Injures Man " »

A 10-year-old boy suffered critical injuries in a Baldwin Park car accident the evening of June 16, 2009, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports. The boy was a passenger in the car his 18-year-old brother was driving near Ramona Park and Center Street when another car driven by 25-year-old Frank Ramirez made a left turn in front of the 18-year-old driver. The teenager could not avoid hitting Ramirez's car, Baldwin Park police said. Police say preliminary investigations do show that Ramirez made an unsafe left turn. Neither Ramirez nor the 18-year-old driver had a license.

The child passenger suffered major head injuries and was airlifted to an area hospital. His older brother, the 18-year-old driver, suffered serious personal injuries but they were not life threatening. Ramirez was uninjured.

My heart goes out to the 10-year-old boy who was critically injured in this car accident. I hope and pray that the boy recovers from his serious injuries quickly and completely. Please keep him in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System there were four fatalities and 302 injuries involving car accidents in Baldwin Park. In Los Angeles County as a whole, there were 712 fatalities and 56,475 injuries involving car accidents in 2007.

Continue reading " Baldwin Park Car Accident Critically Injures 10-year-old " »

Five people were injured in a Los Angeles big rig truck accident on the 5 Freeway June 16, 2009 after a big rig truck driver failed to stop in time and avoid the car-truck collision. According to an Associated Press news report, the big rig truck was traveling north when traffic slowed down. The truck driver, however, crashed into the center divider, jackknifing and demolishing about 14 feet of the wall. The truck also ended up plowing into seven other cars.

I'm relieved that this Los Angeles County commercial truck accident did not end tragically for anyone. I'm also glad that the other motorists did not suffer major personal injuries. I wish all the injured victims a speedy and complete recovery.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s truck accident statistics, there were 361 fatal accidents involving large trucks in California in 2007 and 10,635 injury accident involving big rigs during that same time. California tops the list of states with the highest number of fatal and major injury big rig accidents.

Continue reading " Los Angeles County Big Rig Truck Accident Injures Five " »

A police pursuit has led to a deadly Anaheim car accident killing one man and seriously injuring at least three others, including the suspects who were being pursued. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Anaheim police were chasing two assault suspects who had beaten up a man earlier during the evening of June 15, 2009. When police arrived at the scene of the fight, the two men drove away in a red truck and the officers gave chase. Officials said the suspects were driving anywhere between 85 and 100 mph during the half-mile chase.

The pursuit ended when the truck traveling west on Crescent Avenue blew through a red light on Magnolia Avenue colliding with two vehicles -- a Toyota Camry and a grey truck. The impact of the crash pushed the red truck into a palm tree and the other two cars into an apartment complex. A man in the grey truck died in this multiple car crash and a woman in the Camry suffered serious personal injuries. The two suspects in the red truck are in critical condition. The identity of the deceased car accident victim has not yet been released.

My heart goes out to the two unsuspecting "bystanders" -- the two motorists who had just been going about their business, when within a fraction of a second, they get struck down in this horrific car accident by some negligent driver. I offer my deepest condolences to family of the man who died in this car accident. I also offer my best wishes to the woman who was critically injured and hope she has a quick and complete recovery. Please keep them in your prayers.

Continue reading " Anaheim Car Accident Ends Police Pursuit " »

Karen Hernandez, 65, died in a San Bernardino County rollover car accident as she veered off the 15 Freeway in Fontana the evening of June 12, 2009, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports. Hernandez's Chevrolet S10 pickup truck apparently went off the road from the number two lane and rolled over several times before it came to rest on a south embankment, California Highway Patrol officials said. Hernandez was declared dead shortly after the rollover car crash.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Karen Hernandez for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System there were 15 fatal car accidents and 675 car accidents involving injuries in Fontana. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 308 fatalities and 9,920 injuries were reported as a result of car accidents in 2007. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that at least 10,000 people die in the United States each year as a result of rollover accidents.

Continue reading " San Bernardino Rollover Car Accident fatally Injuries Woman " »

A tow truck driver was seriously injured in a Ventura County car accident after a suspected drunk driver drifted into opposing lanes of traffic and sideswiped the tow truck the afternoon of June 11, 2009. According to a news report in the Ventura County Star, 49-year-old Jeffrey Barnes was driving on Ventura Boulevard near Sherwin Avenue in Ventura when his vehicle collided with a truck operated by Double R Towing. The tow truck driver, who has not yet been identified, was taken to an area hospital for treatment of severe back injuries. Barnes was also treated for injuries and later arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence.

I'm relieved that the tow truck driver did not suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries. However, back injuries can be debilitating and cost quite a bit in terms of medical expenses and therapy for rehabilitation. I wish the injured victim the very best for a quick and complete recovery.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were four fatalities and 66 injuries involving DUI-related car accidents in Ventura. In Ventura County as a whole, 28 fatalities and 481 personal injuries were reported as a result of alcohol-related car accidents in 2007.

Continue reading " Ventura County Car Accident Injures Tow Truck Driver In DUI Collision " »

A motorist suffered critical injuries in a Downey hit-and-run car accident after a driver crashed into his car on the 105 Freeway the morning of June 11, 2009 and then fled the scene of the car accident. According to an article in the Long Beach Press Telegram, the two-car crash occurred on the eastbound 105 Freeway at Lakewood Boulevard. California Highway Patrol officials the hit-and-run driver was a man who was driving a Chrysler PT Cruiser. He apparently fled on foot after crashing into the other car.

The other driver suffered critical injuries and was taken to an area hospital. A female passenger riding with the hit-and-run driver was not injured. But the suspect left traces of blood in the car apparently from an injury suffered in the crash. CHP officials searched the area by helicopter, but no arrests were made. If you have information about this hit-and-run car accident, please call CHP investigators at 562-868-0503.

My heart goes out to this injured car accident victim. I hope his personal injuries were not catastrophic and that he makes a quick and complete recovery. Please keep him in your prayers. I trust that this hit-and-run driver will be apprehended and soon brought to justice. Not only does he crash into another car on the freeway injuring its driver, but also he leaves his own passenger, a woman, in the crashed car and flees on foot. Despicable!

Continue reading " Los Angeles County Hit-and-Run Car Accident Injures Driver " »

A woman was seriously injured in an Orange County rollover car accident after the Pontiac sedan she was driving overturned on the southbound 5 Freeway. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the woman apparently swerved the car to avoid tire tread debris on the freeway and lost control the morning of June 10, 2009. The woman sustained head injuries and was transported to an area hospital. No one else was in the car at the time of the crash.

My heart goes out to the victim of this car rollover crash, who suffered major injuries. I'm relieved that her injuries were not fatal. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep her in your prayers.

According to the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were 175 fatalities and 14,175 injuries involving car accidents in Orange County in 2007. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that about 10,000 people die in the United States each year as a result of rollover accidents.

Continue reading " Orange County Rollover Accident Injures Woman " »

Michael Irvin, 60, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident the evening of June 8, 2009, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports. Irvin was crossing the street at the corner of Towne Avenue and Third Street when a 41-year-old Pomona woman driving north struck him. No citations were issued or arrests made. Irvin was pronounced dead at the scene. If you witnessed this Pomona car accident or have more information, please call Pomona Police at 909-620-2081.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Michael Irvin for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to 2007 data from California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were 11 fatalities and 894 personal injuries in Pomona involving car accidents. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 712 deaths and 56,475 injuries were reported as a result of car crashes.

Continue reading " Los Angeles Car Accident Kills Man on Scooter " »

Two people -- John Palermo, 27 and Alessandra Giangrande, 25 -- were killed and another person was personally injured in a North Hollywood car accident the morning of June 8, 2009, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. The fatal car accident occurred outside 4830 Vineland Avenue near Peach Grove Street, Los Angeles police officials said. Giangrande was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Palermo also died at the scene. A third passenger sustained serious personal injuries, but was conscious and breathing and was taken to an area hospital. The cause of this solo car crash is still under investigation by the LAPD.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the John Palermo and Alessandra Giangrande, who died in this horrific Hollywood car crash. I offer my deepest condolences to them. I also wish the injured victim the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep the victims and their families in your prayers.

According to the California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were 260 fatalities and 27,110 injuries involving car accidents in the city of Los Angeles. In Los Angeles County, 712 deaths and 56,475 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of car accidents.

Continue reading " North Hollywood Car Accident Kills Two, Injures One " »

Jose Juan Valenzuela Ramos, 37, was killed in a Los Angles car accident after a speeding minivan hit his car with a force that split it in two the morning of June 8, 2009, according to a Fox News report. The fatal hit and run car accident occurred at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue, Los Angeles County Sheriff's officials said. Police are still looking for the driver of the maroon minivan, which crashed into Ramos' Honda Accord and sent a part of the car onto a sidewalk. Eyewitnesses say the minivan was traveling 70 to 75 mph on the city street. Police are looking at two "persons of interest," but no arrests have been made so far.

My heart goes out to the family of Jose Juan Valenzuela Ramos for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Apparently, the rest of his family is in Mexico and Ramos' friends are trying to get enough money to send his body back to Mexico. I offer my deepest condolences to all of Ramos' family and friends. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic accident statistics, there were six fatalities and 278 personal injuries involving car accidents in Lynwood. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 712 fatalities and 56,475 personal injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of car accidents.

Continue reading " Los Angeles Car Accident Kills Man In Lynwood Hit-and-Run Collision " »

A 7-year-old boy suffered serious head injuries in a Ventura bicycle accident that happened near the intersection of Calle Turquesa and Paseo la Perla the afternoon of May 30, 2009, the Ventura County Star reports. The boy apparently rode his bike from between two parked vehicles into the path of a car driven by 49-year-old Reina Linares who was traveling west on Calle Turquesa. Thousand Oaks police officials said Linares was unable to avoid hitting the child and his bicycle. The boy, who has not been identified yet, was taken to an area hospital. Linares was uninjured. Police also said that the boy was not wearing a helmet.

My heart goes out to the child and his family. I can only imagine their shock and the agony they must be going through at this point. I hope the little boy recovers soon and does not suffer any lasting condition or injury. Please keep him in your prayers.

According to the California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were three fatalities and 261 personal injuries involving bicycle accidents in Ventura County. In Thousand Oaks, in 2007, there were reportedly no fatalities, but 48 injuries occurred involving bicycle accidents.

Continue reading " Ventura County Bicycle Accident Injures 7-year-old Boy " »

A driver was hospitalized after suffering injuries in a Riverside County truck accident the morning of June 1, 2009 after the driver of the semi-trailer made an illegal U-turn. According to a news report in The Desert Sun the semi was making a U-turn on northbound Bob Hope Drive at the intersection of Gerald Ford Drive when it collided with the car. The car made a legal left turn when it was hit by the semi, Riverside County Sheriff's Department officials said. Emergency crews freed the driver from the car. He was transported to an area hospital with moderate personal injuries. The semi truck driver received a citation at the scene for making an illegal U-turn.

I'm relieved that this Rancho Mirage truck accident did not result in catastrophic injuries to the car's driver. I wish the injured victim the very best for a quick and complete recovery.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were two fatalities and 92 personal injuries involving car accidents in Rancho Mirage. In Riverside County 279 deaths and 9,925 personal injuries were reported as a result of car accidents in 2007.

Continue reading " Riverside County Car versus Truck Accident Involves Illegal U-Turn " »

Authorities in South Los Angeles are seeking the public's help to find a hit-and-run driver responsible for a fatal Los Angles pedestrian accident the morning of June 1, 2009. Los Angeles police officials say the suspect is responsible for hitting and killing 46-year-old Sheila Tudmon as she was walking on a city street. According to an article in the Los Angeles Daily News, Tudmon was in the street near Arlington Avenue and 37th Street when a sport utility vehicle that was northbound on Arlington Avenue struck Tudmon. Los Angeles Police Department officials are asking anyone who knows anything or witnessed this pedestrian accident to call LAPD South Traffic Division detectives at 323-290-6094.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Sheila Tudmon for their tragic loss. My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved this woman. Please keep them in your prayers.

I trust authorities will soon apprehend the Los Angles hit-and-run driver in this case and bring him or her to justice. It is not only irresponsible, unethical and inhumane to leave someone lying personally injured on the street, but also against California law. The law states that every driver who is involved in a car accident in California is required to stop. He or she must then exchange identification and car insurance information and if in a position to do so, must get help for the injured person or persons.

Continue reading " Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Kills One in Hit and Run Accident " »

Daniel Gonzalez, 27, and Marc Tisherman, 33, suffered severe head injuries in a Huntington Beach motorcycle accident after they first collided with one another and were then hit by a passing sport utility vehicle. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Gonzalez and Tisherman crashed into each another on Beach Boulevard near Talbert and were ejected the evening of May 31, 2009.

A Toyota 4Runner then struck the two motorcyclists. Gonzalez and Tisherman were taken to area hospitals with severe head trauma. Both motorcyclists had been riding north on Beach in the first lane. Officials are still trying to determine why Gonzalez and Tisherman collided. The driver of the Toyota 4Runner was identified as Edward Cordova of San Dimas. Cordova was not personally injured. Huntington Beach police are asking anyone who witnessed this incident to call their traffic investigators at 714-536-5661.

My heart goes out to these two motorcyclists who have been severely injured. I wish them both the very best for a quick and complete recovery. I'm relieved that they did not suffer fatal injuries in this horrific motorcycle accident. Please keep them in your prayers.

Continue reading " Huntington Beach Motorcycle Accident Injures Two Men " »

A 15-year-old boy in Oceanside is in critical condition after a May 29, 2009 San Diego car accident, the North County Times reports. The three-car accident occurred on Mission Avenue at Douglas Drive as San Diego Gas & Electric Co. workers were fixing the traffic lights at the intersection that was down after an earlier car crash. The car crash that injured the teenager involved a Hyundai Tiburon, a Chevrolet Silverado pickup and a GMC Yukon, Oceanside police officials said. The Silverado was carrying the 15-year-old and an 18-year-old man. Traffic investigators are still looking into circumstances and the cause of this Southern California car collision. Four were personally injured and taken to area hospitals, but out of the four, only the 15-year-old suffered serious injuries.

My heart goes out to the young man who has been critically injured in this horrific car accident. I hope and pray that he makes a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep him in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were six fatalities and 820 injuries involving car accidents in Oceanside. In San Diego County as a whole, 268 deaths and 14,641 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of car accidents.

Continue reading " San Diego County Car Accident Injures Teen " »