Charles Bayes, 49, was killed in an Orange County car accident after the vehicle in which he was a passenger was involved in a head-on collision. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal car accident occurred the night of April 24, 2012 at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Tustin Street in Orange. Police say a Honda Civic, heading west on Lincoln from Tustin, was hit head-on by a Toyota Highlander. The Toyota SUV was eastbound on Lincoln before veering into opposing lanes of traffic.
Bayes, who was a passenger in the Civic, was pronounced dead at the scene. The female driver of the Civic was freed from the vehicle and transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The male driver of the Highlander was also taken to a hospital with relatively minor injuries. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the accident. No arrests or citations were reported.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Charles Bayes for their tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are also with those who were injured in this crash. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Orange County Car Accidents
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were six fatalities and 725 injuries reported as a result of Orange car accidents. During the same year, 141 people died and 13,373 were injured due to Orange County car accidents.
What Caused this Crash?
Based on this news report, it is unclear as to what caused the driver of the Toyota Highlander to veer into opposing lanes of traffic and hit the Honda Civic head-on. There are still several unanswered questions here. Was the driver of the Highlander under the influence of alcohol or drugs? Did speed play a part in this collision? Was driver fatigue or distraction a factor in this horrific car accident? I trust officials are still looking into what occurred and who was at fault.
California Vehicle Code Section 21651 (a) states: “Whenever a highway has been divided into two or more roadways by means of intermittent barriers or by means of a dividing section of not less than two feet in width, either unpaved or delineated by curbs, double-parallel lines, or other markings on the roadway, it is unlawful…to drive any vehicle over, upon, or across the dividing section.”
Fault and Liability
If the driver of the Toyota Highlander is determined to have been negligent, he could be held liable for Bayes’s wrongful death and the injuries caused to the driver of the Civic. In such cases, families of deceased victims and injured victims would be well advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. Victims’ families can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, funeral costs, lost future income, and loss of love and companionship.