California Injury Blog
A 17-year-old boy was killed in a hit-and-run car accident in Los Angeles the morning of October 2, 2010. According to news reports, the fatal car accident occurred at the intersection of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Chamberlain Street in Pacoima, when a 2007 Saturn struck the boy, who was riding a bicycle. The driver of the Saturn, later identified as 26-year-old Shawn Fields, initially drove away from the scene, but was later arrested with the help of eyewitnesses. Fields is facing drunk driving, vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run charges.
I offer my heartfelt sympathies to everybody who knew and loved this young man for their untimely and devastating loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
DUI Collisions
There were 105 deaths and 2,252 injuries involving DUI collisions in Los Angeles, according to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In Los Angeles County as a whole, 258 people died and 4,832 were injured as a result of alcohol-related car accidents during the same year.
Laws and Liability Issues
It is appalling that Fields, who according to officials, drove his vehicle under the influence, struck a boy on a bicycle and left him to die on the roadway by attempting to flee the scene. I commend the eyewitnesses at the scene for alerting officials right away and playing a part in Fields’ arrest. These people are truly heroes.
Leaving the scene of a car accident or hit-and-run is not only unethical and inhumane, but it is also a serious violation of the law. California Vehicle Code Section 20001 (a) states: “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.”
If Fields is found guilty of the charges, I hope he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Families of deceased victims in such cases would be well-advised to seek the counsel of a reputed Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who has the experience and a successful track record holding drunk drivers accountable.
Lost a family member in a Los Angeles car accident? Want to know your rights? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation? Want justice? Want to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to another family?
Call your best friends in the legal industry after a fatal Pacoima car accident. Call 866-310-5252. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your rights by attorneys who have been representing families of deceased accident victims since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a compassionate and understanding law firm in a comfortable environment.
In your opinion, should drivers face lengthy license suspensions for involvement in hit-and-run accidents?
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.