Austin Medina, 6, was killed in a Huntington Beach car accident after a two-car collision. According to a news report in the Orange County Register, the fatal collision occurred at the intersection of Yorktown Avenue and Bushard Street the night of November 27, 2014. Police say Austin was with his mother and 11-year-old brother when his mother’s white 2014 Mazda 3 that was northbound on Bushard collided with a silver 2003 Ford Escape driven by a 68-year-old woman.
Austin was critically injured and transported to a regional trauma center where he died from his injuries. His mother and brother had minor injuries and were treated in the same hospital. The 68-year-old driver was treated for minor injuries. She has not yet been arrested or cited. The cause of this fatal crash is still under investigation.
Huntington Beach Crash Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2012 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 12 fatalities and 979 injuries involving car accidents in Huntington Beach. In Orange County as a whole, 148 people died and 14,029 were injured due to car accidents during the same year.
What Caused This Fatal Crash?
Based on this news report, it appears that this accident occurred at a large Huntington Beach street intersection, which is monitored by traffic lights. There are a number of unanswered questions here. Who was at fault here? Did one of the drivers fail to yield the right-of-way at the intersection? Did one of the drivers make an unsafe turn at the intersection? Were alcohol or drugs factors in this crash? Was one of the drivers distracted or inattentive at the time? We trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.
Fault and Liability
In such cases, at-fault drivers can be held liable for injuries, damages and losses caused. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injury, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Families of deceased victims can seek compensation as well by filing what is known as a wrongful death claim. Injured victims and their families would be well advised to contact an experienced Huntington Beach personal injury lawyer who will analyze all aspects of the incident and ensure that the at-fault parties are held accountable.