A woman who was selling flowers and teddy bears for Mother’s Day and a Guatemalan immigrant were killed Sunday morning after a driver jumped the curb and plowed into the parking lot where the woman had set up her stand, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.
Marilyn Herod, a Riverside mom who was fundraising for her church in South Los Angeles, was struck by the driver of a black 2006 Dodge Charger, who hit the fence in front of Herod’s stand. One of the bars from the wrought-iron fence struck Herod in the head, officials said. After striking Herod, the Dodge continued diagonally across the parking lot, smashing into another fence. Salvin Herrera, who was waiting for a bus, was struck in the head and killed. Two other women and a man suffered injuries.
Police arrested the driver of the Dodge, Harley Darnell Daniels, 21, on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, the Times article said. Officials believe Daniels was under the influence of a nonalcoholic intoxicant but they were waiting for lab tests to identify the substance. Daniels himself suffered minor injuries, officials said. Those who saw the crash reported that Daniels appeared to be falling asleep right before the crash. Another witness said he was racing with another vehicle.
Also injured was another parishioner who was helping Herod set up the floral stand, a 69-year-old woman who suffered internal injuries. She was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. A 41-year-old woman, who witnesses said appeared to be buying a gift basket, had her right foot severed in the crash. She was in stable condition at California Hospital Medical Center. Rodolfo Rumines, 20, who was also waiting at the bus stop, suffered some back pain and cuts to his forehead, the Times article said.
Whatever the reason for the driver to lose control, this is indeed a horrible tragedy. At Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys, we represent clients who have been severely injured by or have lost a loved one in an auto accident involving a negligent or inebriated driver. It would be interesting to see what kind of “nonalcoholic beverage” caused this particular driver to lose control or if it was indeed a substance that caused him to lose control of his vehicle.
If you believe that you or a loved one have been injured by a negligent driver, call us – Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys at 800-259-6373 for a free consultation.