Charles Bybee, 62, of Norwalk suffered critical personal injuries in an Orange County car versus pedestrian accident after he saved an apparently suicidal woman from getting hit by traffic on a Fullerton street, CBS News reports. Eyewitnesses told reporters that Bybee was trying to help the woman out of the middle of a busy street the night of June 29, 2009 where she was trying to get motorists to kill her. Bybee then went back across the street to talk to a police officer when he was hit by a car. The woman was not injured, but Bybee is said to be in critical condition.
My heart goes out to Charles Bybee, who did a brave and noble deed here. Bybee saved a life! Here was a man who genuinely tried to do a good deed and succeeded, but got seriously injured in the process. How tragic! I wish Charles Bybee the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep him in your prayers.
This news report does not provide any information about how or why this car-pedestrian accident occurred. Based on the account, Bybee was hit after he crossed the street again to speak with a police officer. It is not clear at this point if he was in a crosswalk or at an intersection, marked or unmarked. California law requires that vehicle drivers yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing a roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk. California’s Vehicle Code Section 21950 provides that a vehicle driver approaching a pedestrian within a marked or unmarked crosswalk shall exercise all due care and shall reduce their speed and take any other action relating as is necessary to safeguard the safety of pedestrians.
Some of the questions that remain to be answered in this pedestrian versus car crash case include – Was the driver of that car not paying attention to his or her surroundings? Was that driver traveling at high rate of speed and couldn’t stop in time? Was that driver distracted or impaired at the time of the crash? Where was Bybee standing or walking at the time of the crash? I trust investigators are looking into all these questions and more.
Bybee’s family would be well-advised to contact a knowledgeable Orange County personal injury lawyer, who can help determine who or what caused this tragic accident and who, if anyone, should be held accountable for Bybee’s critical personal injuries. If it is determined that the driver of the car is at-fault, then he or she could be held liable for Bybee’s injuries. Bybee could receive compensation to cover his medical expenses, cost of medication and hospitalization, long-term care if needed, loss of earnings and other damages.