A driver identified as 57-year-old Adrian Davis was killed and several others were injured in a Fullerton crash that involved eight vehicles. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the fatal crash occurred the afternoon of October 10, 2013 near the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Valencia Mesa Drive. Police say Davis, who was driving a yellow Ford F-150 pickup truck, was traveling in the wrong direction when he swerved into lanes on Harbor and struck several vehicles that were stopped at a signal. Davis died from his injuries. Five others were injured, but the nature and extent of their injuries is not known.
Witnesses who were nearby said the collision sounded like a “huge explosion.” One man saw the truck flip over on impact and fly into the air about as high as a streetlight. Police say they still do not know what caused the man to drive the wrong way and cause the collision. They are looking into whether alcohol or drugs may have been a factor. The investigation is ongoing.
Crash Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were five fatalities and 665 injuries reported as a result of car crashes in Fullerton. In Orange County as a whole, 100 people died and 13,368 were injured due to car accidents during the same year.
Causes and Compensation Issues
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the pickup truck was going the wrong way on the roadway before he rammed his vehicle into others stopped at a red light. It is unclear at this time as to what caused this collision. There are several unanswered questions here. Was the driver of the pickup truck under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs? Did he fall asleep at the wheel? Did he suffer a medical condition? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.
It is also not known how seriously the others were injured. However, it is important to remember that they have rights. In cases where the at-fault driver is deceased, victims may still be able to seek compensation through the driver’s liability insurance. In cases where the driver is uninsured, victims may be able to seek compensation through the uninsured motorist clause of their own auto insurance policies. Victims in such cases would be well advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer who will help them obtain fair and full compensation for their damages and losses.