Donald Klimovich, 80, was killed in a Riverside County car accident the morning of June 1, 2009, The Desert Sun reports. The fatal Palm Springs car collision occurred at Indian Canyon Drive and San Rafael Road. Palm Springs police are looking into whether a GMC pickup, which was southbound on Indian Canyon ran a red light and collided with Klimovich’s Infiniti sedan as it moved east across the intersection. Before colliding with the Infiniti, the truck also apparently clipped an eastbound Toyota that stopped just before the truck entered the intersection.
After the Riverside car accident, the Infiniti was pushed into a BMW sport utility vehicle and a Nissan 350Z that were both waiting to turn left from northbound Indian Canyon. No charges have been filed against the driver of the GMC pending a police investigation.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of Donald Klimovich for their tragic loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved Klimovich. Based on comments left by readers of the news article, it appears that he was a well-loved and respected man. Please keep them in your prayers.
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were seven car accident fatalities and 427 personal injuries involving car accidents in Palm Springs. In Riverside County, in 2007, 279 fatalities and 9,925 injures were reported as a result of car accidents.
Based on the newspaper report, it appears that the driver of the GMC may have run a red light and caused this chain-reaction car crash. Running a red light is a serious traffic violation in California. California Vehicle Code Section 21453 (a) states: “A driver facing a circular red signal shall stop at the limit line before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until an indication to proceed is shown.”
I trust traffic investigators are also looking into whether the driver of the GMC, in addition to driving recklessly, was also driving under the influence. If he or she was under the influence, they could be facing additional criminal charges. The family of Donald Klimovich would be well advised to retain the services of experienced California car accident attorneys, who will strive to make sure that the negligent parties in this case are held accountable. In cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, families of deceased victims may be entitled to file wrongful death claims, which compensate families for funeral expenses, loss of earnings, loss of companionship and other related damages.