Fatal Crash in San Fernando Valley May Have Been Caused by Street Racing or Road Rage
A fatal car crash in the community of Northridge in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley may have involved racing between two of the cars involved, or the drivers may have been involved in a road rage incident. The events leading up to the crash have not yet been fully determined.
The accident occurred on the evening of July 3rd at the intersection of Tampa Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard. A silver Nissan Maxima and a blue Toyota Tacoma pickup had been witnessed travelling down Roscoe Blvd. at a very high rate of speed, possibly over 80 or 90 miles per hour. Just as the cars were speeding through the intersection, a Ford van was turning left onto Roscoe. The van flipped over, and the pickup went onto the sidewalk. The driver of the pickup and a pedestrian who was struck died at the hospital. Four other people were also injured, including the other drivers and two other pedestrians.
Given the excessive rate of speed of the Nissan and Toyota, it is suspected that something was going on between the two drivers at the time of the crash. It is not yet known whether the two were racing, involved in an altercation, or if some other reason was behind the incident.
Excessive Speed Creates Criminal and Civil Liability
All drivers owe a duty of reasonable care, not only to other drivers on the road, but also to pedestrians who might foreseeably be injured by careless or reckless driving. There are very few instances when driving more than twice the posted speed limit will not be considered negligent or reckless. Not only is it illegal, but the drivers could also be civilly liable to the people who were injured or killed in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. And even though one of the drivers was killed, his estate can still be held liable if he is found to have been responsible for the injuries and death of the others.
Complex Cases Require Skilled, Experienced Legal Representation
Multi-vehicle collisions can be complex cases to sort through. Identifying the proper responsible parties and holding them accountable can be difficult. In a case such as this, multiple parties may be liable for their negligence or reckless conduct. The team at Magaña, Cathcart & McCarthy includes dedicated Los Angeles personal injury attorneys who are experienced in handling multi-vehicle crashes and determining complex issues of liability and damages. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Southern California car or truck accident, contact our firm to speak with an experienced auto accident lawyer.
