California Personal Injury Law Firm

Posts Tagged ‘car accident lawyer’

Fairfield: Driver Arrested in Double-Fatal DUI Crash on I-80

Monday, January 30th, 2012

Fairfield Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

A Sacramento woman was arrested after a drunk driving accident that killed two people on I-80 in Fairfield.

A 42-year-old Sacramento woman was arrested early Sunday morning after a drunk driving accident that caused the deaths of two people on Interstate 80 in Fairfield.

• A drunk driver slammed into the rear of an SUV, sending it across the freeway. The SUV crashed into the center divider, rolled over, and landed upside-down in traffic.

• The driver and one of the passengers got out of the SUV and were trying to help the fourth passenger get out when an approaching vehicle crashed into the SUV and hit the two men. Both of them died at the scene.

• The drunk driver was arrested on felonly DUI charges as well as possession of a loaded gun in her vehicle.

The California Highway Patrol received a call about the crash at 5:23 a.m., according to a report in the Fairfield Daily Republic.

The CHP said Michelle Henry was driving a 2008 Buick Lucerne at a high rate of speed on westbound I-80 when she slammed into the rear of a 1997 Ford Explorer driven by 33-year-old Anthony Andrade. Both vehicles were in the No. 4 lane, just east of Air Base Parkway.

The Buick overturned on the right-hand shoulder and rolled into the trees and bushes alongside the freeway. The Explorer veered across all of the westbound lanes and crashed into the center divider. It overturned and rolled into the No. 2 lane, where it landed on its roof.

Andrade and one of his passengers, 25 year-old Vincente Santos, got out of the Explorer to help another passenger, 33-year-old Floyd Williams Jr., get out of the vehicle. But a Toyota Corolla, driven by 25-year-old Michael Soto, approached the wreck and was not able to avoid crashing into the mangled rear end of the Explorer.

The impact threw Santos into the westbound traffic lanes. He and Andrade both died at the scene.

Williams was transported by ambulance to North Bay Medical Center in Fairfield, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the CHP. Soto was taken to Kaiser Hospital in Vacaville, also with minor injuries.

All of the men were from Sacramento.

Henry was taken to North Bay Hospital where she was treated for minor injuries and released to police custody, according to the Dixon Patch news site. She was arrested and charged with felony drunk driving and possession of a loaded firearm in her vehicle.

All westbound lanes of I-80 were closed for three hours while emergency crews cleared the scene and officers conducted a preliminary investigation.

Fairfield 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.

Tags: auto accident, Blackman Legal Group, California accident lawyer, California accident lawyers, car accident, car accident lawyer, Clifford Blackman, drunk driving accident, drunk driving death, drunk driving fatalities, fatal accident, fatal collision, fatal drunk driving accident, fatal DUI crash, freeway crash, wrongful death
Posted in auto accident, car accident fatality, drinking and driving, driving under the influence, fatal crash, fatal injuries, highway crash, wrongful death | No Comments »

Richmond: Road Rage Leads to Fatal Freeway Crash on I-80

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Ronald Zerangue (inset) of El Sobrante was killed in an apparent road rage crash on Interstate 80 in Richmond. (Photo: CBS News)

A 63-year-old man died in a “road rage” car accident Wednesday morning on Interstate 80 in Richmond.

• An AC Transit mechanic was driving a minivan on I-80 in Richmond when he attempted to “brake check” a pickup truck in the carpool lane.

• The minivan clipped the side of the truck and went out of control. It rolled several times.

• The minivan driver died at the scene.

• The pickup truck driver and his passenger suffered minor injuries.

• The CHP said this was a road-rage accident.

The fatal freeway crash occurred at about 5:45 a.m., according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

California Highway Patrol officer Sam Morgan said the deadly I-80 accident happened after a westbound 1989 Ford Aerostar minivan — driven by a man later identified as Ronald Zerangue of El Sobrante — allegedly “brake checked” a 2004 GMC pickup pickup truck in the carpool lane west of Carlson Boulevard.

“It appears that this may have been a road rage-type incident,” Morgan told Bay City News (in a report published by the San Francisco Examiner).

Brake checking involves intentionally accelerating past another vehicle, swerving in front of it, and slamming on the brakes, Morgan said.

When Zerangue tried the maneuver, he sideswiped the pickup truck and lost control of his vehicle. The minivan crashed into the center divider and rolled several times before it came to rest on the freeway.

Zerangue, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, died at the scene.

The pickup truck driver stopped at the scene and spoke with officers. He and his female passenger suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization, Morgan said.

Officials had to close the freeway for three hours during the heavy morning commute.

Zerangue had a valid license and a clean driving record, according to a California Department of Motor Vehicles report obtained by the Chronicle. He had been a mechanic at AC Transit for the last four years, transit spokesman Clarence Johnson said.

Morgan said no arrests or citations were made and there were no signs that drugs or alcohol were factors in the accident.

The accident is under investigation. Anyone with information on the collision is asked to call the Oakland-area CHP office at (510) 450-3821 or (800) TELL-CHP.

Road Rage

Almost 90 percent of drivers have experienced another motorist’s “road rage” — aggressive driving behaviors — at one time or another, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Here are the foundation’s tips for de-fusing a road-rage situation:

If you’re being hassled by another driver, try not to react. Avoid making eye contact, as this is often seen as confrontational. Don’t accelerate, brake, or swerve suddenly, as this also may be seen as confrontational — and it increases the odds of losing control of your vehicle.
If a driver continues to hassle you or you think you are being followed, drive to the nearest police station or busy place to get help.
In town, lock the car doors and keep the windows and sunroof only partly open.
When stopped in traffic, leave enough space to pull out from behind the car you are following.
If someone tries to get into your car, attract attention by sounding your horn or a personal alarm.
Do not start a fight.

Richmond 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.

Tags: auto accident, Blackman Legal Group, California accident lawyer, California accident lawyers, car accident, car accident lawyer, Clifford Blackman, fatal crash, freeway accident, road rage, road rage fatality
Posted in aggressive driving, auto accident, fatal crash, fatal injuries, highway crash, road rage | No Comments »

Crash Forces Cars to Edge of S.F. Bay Near Candlestick Park

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

An accident on Highway 101 sent two cars almost into the bay near Candlestick Park. (Photo: CBS News)

Less than 24 hours after the San Francisco 49ers lost the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park, a car accident sent two vehicles perilously close to the edge of the bay next to the stadium.

• A three-car collision sent two cars off the highway and almost into the San Francisco Bay adjacent to Candlestick Park.

• At least one person was hospitalized with major injuries.

• A second accident occurred a half-hour later, just south of the first wreck.

• One lane of the 101 freeway was closed until 5:30, turning the afternoon commute into a traffic nightmare.

At least one person was hospitalized as a result of the highway crash, which occurred at 3:35 p.m., according to a CBS News report.

California Highway Patrol officer Kevin Bartlett said three vehicles collided on northbound Highway 101 at Harney Way, the short road that leads from the freeway to the stadium.

Bartlett did not say what caused the accident, but he said it caused three cars to veer off of the roadway, with two of them sliding all the way down to the bay. They landed on the rocks, just a couple of feet short of falling into the water, according to a report in the San Francisco Examiner.

Bartlett said it was a major injury accident. At least one person was transported to San Francisco General Hospital to be treated. No information about the victim’s injuries or condition was available.

The U.S. Coast Guard deployed a helicopter to the scene. None of the cars went all the way into the water, but Coast Guard inspectors were checking for fuel or fluids that may have leaked from the vehicles into the bay.

Northbound traffic was snarled because of the accident, but was made even worse by another accident that occurred just south of the wreck about a half-hour later. Four vehicles, including a motorcycle, were involved in that accident. Bartlett said the motorcyclist “dropped his bike.” Several minor injuries were reported in that crash, Bartlett said.

Traffic was at a standstill for the afternoon rush hour, as emergency vehicles responded to both accidents. One lane was closed until 5:3- p.m. and crews were working to get the cars off of the rocks by Candlestick well into the evening.

San Francisco 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.

Tags: auto accident, Blackman Legal Group, California accident lawyer, car accident, car accident lawyer, Clifford Blackman, freeway accident, highway crash
Posted in auto accident, highway crash | No Comments »

Redding: I-5 Closed Due to Snow, 10-Vehicle Chain Reaction Crash

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

Emergency crews aid passengers on a tour bus involved in a 10-vehicle crash on I-5 in Redding. (Photo: Redding-Searchlight)

State officials closed I-5 north of Redding to all tractor-trailer combos Thursday due to snowy conditions that led to a 10-vehicle chain-reaction crash in Vollmer’s on Wednesday.

Caltrans was screening all vehicles for chains at the Fawndale Road exit, 10 miles north of Redding.

• A big-rig and a tour bus collided on northbound I-5 in snowy conditions in Vollmers, about 31 miles north of Redding.

• The accident led to a series of chain-reaction accidents involving 10 to 15 vehicles.

• There were very few serious injuries.

• As the snow continued, Caltrans officials closed the freeway to tractor-trailers and required chains on all other vehicles just north of Redding.

The freeway accident occurred at Vollmer’s — 31 miles north of Redding — at about 7:30 a.m., according to an ABC | KRCR News report.

California Highway Patrol officer Mel Hutsell told KRCR that 10 to 15 vehicles were initially believed to be involved in the series of crashes on the snowy freeway.

The chain reaction started with a it started with a collision between a big-rig tanker and a tour bus in the northbound lanes, Hutsell said. The tour bus was taking people from Los Angeles to Medford, Oregon for work.

Dispatchers told the Redding Record-Searchlight that many passengers on the tour bus were injured and required medical treatment, but most of them did not speak English. One passenger suffered a head injury, another had chest pains, and a third suffered a seizure. The passenger who had a seizure and was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Redding.

Ambulances from as far as Mount Shasta — 31 miles north of Vollmer’s — responded to the scene to transport accident victims. Shasta County officials dispatched a school bus to the scene as well. CHP officer J.D. Womack said he did not know where the school bus, which arrived four hours after the crash, would be taking the stranded tour bus passengers.

After that crash, at least four others ensued, according to a CBS | KHSL News report. Vehicles that came around a curve and saw the accident often slammed on their breaks and then spun out or, in the case of big-rigs, jackknifed, Hutsell said. Those vehicles would then be rear-ended by the vehicle behind them. Even a CHP vehicle was struck.

“As these vehicle approached the scene, they either over reacted with turning movement or braking application or they were just traveling too fast when they saw it,” said Hutsell.

“Its winter weather conditions, it is wet, it is icy, it is snowy so you need to be careful when you are out there,” said Caltrans spokesperson Denise Yergenson. “In Northern California, the weather changes dramatically within miles and you are going to be required to have chains.”

Caltrans and CHP officials warn motorists never to drive faster than 30 mph in snowy conditions, even with chains or four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Redding Freeway Accident Lawyers

Tags: auto accident, Blackman Legal Group, California accident lawyer, California accident lawyers, car accident lawyer, Clifford Blackman, freeway accident
Posted in auto accident, highway crash | No Comments »

CHP Probe: How Did Aptos Teen Get Booze Before Fatal DUI Crash?

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

State officials are investigating how a teen got alcohol before a fatal drunk driving crash Friday night near Watsonville.

• A teen suspected of drunk driving lost control when she crossed a double-yellow line to pass another vehicle on a two-lane road. Her car crashed into a tree.

• One of her six passengers died at the scene. The other five were hospitalized.

• The driver was hospitalized with major injuries and arrested on charges of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter.

• State alcohol officials are looking into how the teen got the alcohol.

The accident occurred at about 11:30 p.m., according to a report in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

The driver, 19-year-old Erica Shanice Duran of Aptos, was driving a 1993 Honda sedan on San Miguel Canyon Road in Royal Oaks, about 5 miles east of Watsonville. She had six passengers in her car.

Duran was traveling at high speed when she crossed a double yellow line to pass another vehicle, witnesses told the California Highway Patrol.

“A witness who was driving behind the Honda said the Honda attempted to pass another vehicle (on) a blind curve,” CHP officer Robert Lehman told KSBW News.

Duran lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a tree. One of her passengers, 21-year-old Joshua Perez of Salinas, was killed, Lehman said.

Two passengers were sitting on other people’s laps and did not have seat belts on because there were not enough seats, Lehman said. One passenger 21-year-old Gina Morgan, suffered major injuries and was airlifted via helicopter to San Jose Valley Medical Center.

Two other passengers, 24-year-old Timothy Garza of Salinas and 19-year-old Selena Sanchez of Watsonville, also suffered major injuries and were taken by ground ambulance to a Salinas hospital. A 17-year-old female passenger had moderate injuries, and 19-year-old Able Perez of Salinas sustained minor injuries.

Duran sustained major injuries as well. She was hospitalized and then arrested on charges of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter. Now the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control wants to know where she got the alcohol she drank before she got behind the wheel. If investigators finds that an adult or an ABC-licensed business provided the alcohol to Duran, charges could be filed against them.

Duran’s Facebook status updates don’t help her case.

On Friday at 3 p.m., she posted: “Inbox full of parties. Let’s see what Friday da 13 has in store 4 me.”

At 9:34 p.m., she used a mobile phone to post: “Let’s chug dis bottle.”

The status updates were deleted on Monday, and were replaced with another message insisting that Duran was not drunk at the time of the accident, the KSBW report stated.

“Thank you everyone, I’m in the ICU. I hope everything is okay and I’m sorry,” Duran wrote. ”I wasn’t drunk for those who think I was. I’m glad I have my family and friends and my boyfriend.

California Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

Tags: auto accident, Blackman Legal Group, California accident lawyer, car accident lawyer, Clifford Blackman, drunk driving, drunk driving accident, drunk driving fatality, fatal accident, fatal collision, fatal DUI crash, teen drivers, wrongful death
Posted in auto accident, car accident fatality, drinking and driving, driving under the influence, fatal crash, fatal injuries, teen drivers, wrongful death | No Comments »