Adam Bajer, 45, was killed and a 35-year-old man seriously injured in a San Francisco car accident after their vehicle was struck by a suspected drunk driver on the I-680, near Fremont. According to a CBS News report, the crash occurred the morning of May 11, 2010 in the southbound lanes of the freeway near Andrade Road, when a pickup driven by 53-year-old Timothy Bartelt veered into another pickup truck. Both pickup trucks went out of control and rolled over. Bajer, the driver of the second pickup truck was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Bajer’s passenger, who has only been identified as a relative sustained severe injuries. Bartelt was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI. An investigation is ongoing.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Adam Bajer, the deceased victim for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep this grieving family in your thoughts and prayers. I also wish the badly injured passenger the best for a fast and successful recovery.
Alcohol-Related Crashes
According to California Highway Patrol’s traffic accident reports, four fatalities and 84 injuries were reported as a result of DUI collisions in Fremont. In Alameda County as a whole, alcohol-related collisions claimed 34 lives and caused 687 injuries during the same year.
California DUI Laws
It is illegal in California to drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs – be it recreational or prescription. California Vehicle Code section 23152 (a) states that it is illegal for anyone to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher.
A driver whose act of driving under the influence results in the death of another will likely face vehicular manslaughter charges. California Penal Code section 191.5 (a) states: “Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, in the driving of a vehicle, where the driving was in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, and the killing was either the proximate result of the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony, and with gross negligence, or the proximate result of the commission of a lawful act that might produce death, in an unlawful manner, and with gross negligence.”
Claim for Compensation
The victim’s family would be well-advised to retain the services of an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer who will stay abreast of the investigation and make sure that the negligent parties are held accountable for their actions. A skilled car accident lawyer will also advise victims and their families about how their car insurance policy applies to an incident where the at-fault motorist is uninsured or underinsured.
Have you checked your insurance policy lately to find out whether you have uninsured motorist coverage?
The Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.