Cody Rodenbucher, 17, was killed in a Riverside car accident when he was struck by a vehicle while walking along a street in Banning. According to a KPSP news report, Cody was hit by a dark-colored car in the 4500 block of Ramsey Street early morning on January 30, 2010. He died at the scene from severe injuries. The driver of the vehicle fled the site of the fatal injury accident. However, a surveillance camera nearby apparently captured images of the car as it traveled east on Ramsey.
Officials tracked down the car to the parking lot of a nearby hotel and interviewed 28-year-old Sachin Bhakta in connection with the incident. He is being viewed as a “person of interest” in this fatal hit-and-run pedestrian accident. Anyone who saw this incident or has more information is asked to contact Banning police officials at 951-922-3170.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of Cody Rodenbucher for their tragic and untimely loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to them. Please keep this family in your prayers.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
There were six injuries and no fatalities in Banning involving pedestrian accidents in 2007, according to California Highway Patrol’s traffic accident statistics. In Riverside County as a whole, 43 fatalities and 393 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007.
Accident Laws and Liability Issues
I trust that police will soon apprehend this hit-and-run driver and bring him or her to justice. Leaving the scene or an accident is a serious crime under California law. According to California Vehicle Code section 20001: “The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident.”
Cody Rodenbucher’s family would be well-advised to consult with an experienced Riverside personal injury lawyer who will stay on top of the criminal investigation, make sure the family’s rights are protected and that they receive just compensation for the damages and loss they have suffered. Where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, families of deceased car accident victims may be able to file a wrongful death claim to seek compensation to cover funeral or medical expenses, loss of earnings, loss of companionship, and other related damages.
A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will also be able to advise this victim’s family about how their own car insurance policy applies to a hit-and-run accident or in a case where the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.
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.