Los Angeles and surrounding areas have seen an unfair share of pedestrian accident injuries and fatalities resulting from hit and run accidents recently, and a newly released pedestrian accident study ranked California at 16th for states with the highest pedestrian fatalities. The hit and run trend are troubling and the details of some of the accidents are particularly tragic.
Recent Los Angeles and surrounding area hit and run accidents
- A woman was struck and critically injured at 9th Street and Sierra Way. The accident was caught on a surveillance camera. It appeared the woman was crossing the street against a red light when she was struck and the driver did not stop.
- A 25-year-old died after being struck by two automobiles in Los Angeles County. Neither vehicle stopped after the accident.
- A 23-year-old was struck by a car at Bloomington and Los Angeles avenues and he later died. The driver did not stop but was arrested two days later for a felony hit and run.
- A pregnant woman was struck and killed by a car in Los Angeles one month before her due date. The driver then lost control of her vehicle and fled on foot. She was picked up by another vehicle that drove to the scene and drove away immediately.
- A 14-year-old girl was struck and killed in a marked crosswalk at Pacific Street and Glasgow Avenue when she was walking to school. The driver of the SUV that struck her left the scene.
Reasons that drivers flee the scene
Pedestrian accidents are often tragic because of the serious injuries and fatalities that frequently go along with them. When a driver does not stop, pedestrian accidents are even more painful for victims and their families who are unable to hold anyone accountable and are unable to get closure. Reasons drivers may flee the scene of an accident include the following:
- The driver is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- The driver has a suspended license or no license at all.
- The car is a stolen vehicle.
- The driver was texting at the time of the accident.
- The driver does not have insurance.
- The driver does not have legal residence status in the United States and does not want to be deported.
- The driver does not want to be punished for reckless conduct.
- The driver has a warrant out for his or her arrest.
Catching a driver who fled the scene
In hit and run cases, the drivers are usually caught, eventually. Surveillance cameras are everywhere and these accidents are frequently caught on camera, which helps to identify the vehicle. Police conduct investigations to identify the driver such as locating damaged vehicles in car repair shops. They also put out as much information about the accident as they can when seeking the public’s help in identifying the driver.
If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in a pedestrian accident, contact a lawyer at the Law Offices of Howard Kornberg to schedule a consultation. We will go over the accident, injuries, and police report to discuss financial recovery options.
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