California Injury Blog
Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies are looking for a hit-and-run suspect who they say was involved in a car accident in Lancaster that left an 11-year-old girl dead. According to an NBC Los Angeles news report, the incident occurred around midnight on July 18, 2017 at the intersection of 20th Street East and Lancaster Boulevard. Officials said the 11-year-old girl was a passenger in one of the vehicles and sustained serious injuries in the crash.
She was airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition. Witnesses identified the driver of the other vehicle as 25-year-old Eduardo Medrano Jr. He allegedly fled the scene of the major injury collision in a gold or tan Infiniti four-door sedan with a vehicle license plate number 6MWM091. Medrano is described as 5-foot-10 with black hair and green eyes, weighing around 145 pounds. Anyone with information is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at 661-940-3814.
We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of this young girl for their heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Hit-and-Run Crashes in Los Angeles
According to a recent NBC4 investigation, a hit-and-run crash occurs one every 18 minutes in Los Angeles. More than 28,000 reported hit-and-crashes during the year 2015 occurred over a widespread area of Los Angeles County. About 50 percent of all car accidents in Los Angeles County are hit-and-run cases.
By comparison, the national average is 11 percent, according to the American Automobile Association. Los Angeles has notoriously earned the reputation for being the “hit-and-run capital” of the nation. The number of hit-and-run crashes in the region, over the last few years, has risen to epidemic proportions.
Laws and Liability Issues
Leaving the scene of an injury or fatal crash is a felony crime under California law. California Vehicle Code 20001 (a) requires motorists to stop immediately at the scene of a crash and remain until authorities arrive. Drivers are also required to offer assistance to the injured victims.
Hit-and-run victims or families of those killed in hit-and-run crashes may be able to seek compensation through the uninsured motorist clause of their auto insurance policies. In addition, they may also be able to seek compensation from the at-fault driver. An experienced Los Angeles car accident lawyer will be able to advise victims and their families regarding their legal rights and options.