There are certain situations when a driver might fear for his or her safety more so than usual. For example, a person driving at night in a snow or rain storm might be more concerned about road conditions and the possibility of an accident than a driver who is stopped at a traffic light. Unfortunately, car accidents can happen at any place and at anytime. One California family is coping with this reality after two of their family members were killed in an fiery crash.
A car containing five people was reportedly stopped at a red light as the family within it returned from a birthday party. Police say that the driver of a second vehicle, who was speeding at the time, tried to drive between the family’s sports utility vehicle, in the right lane, and a pickup truck that was stopped in the left. Instead, the car struck both vehicles, pushing the SUV against a light pole, which then caught fire.
Two people in the car died as a result of the injuries they suffered in the accident — an 11-year-old girl and her 40-year-old mother. Police indicated that the driver of the vehicle that allegedly struck the SUV fled the scene. They were able to track him down at a nearby apartment complex where he was reportedly hiding under a family member’s bed.
The woman leaves behind three sons and her husband. The family members are still coming to terms with the loss and may be facing a difficult financial future as a result. While the criminal justice system will adjudicate any criminal charges, a successfully navigated civil action could help the family cope with the financial burdens created by the fatal crash. A wrongful death legal claim has helped other surviving families of fatal California car accidents.
Source: fresnobee.com, “Mother, daughter die in fiery southeast Fresno crash”, Andrea Castillo, Nov. 23, 2014