California Injury Blog
A 38-year-old El Cajon man died after a big rig slammed through his backyard and sent him into his swimming pool, missing his toddler daughter by inches, according to a Channel 10 news report. Officials said Kevin Vicary and his 2-year-old daughter were near the pool in their home as Vicary was cleaning it.
The chain reaction accident occurred when a Ford minivan ran a red light and struck the semi truck. The big rig then careened out of control and hit two other cars before crashing into the fence and going into the pool, the article said. The impact of the crash threw Vicary into the pool. He died from the injuries while his daughter was unharmed.
The truck driver and people in the other vehicle suffered bruises and minor injuries. Police have still not charged or cited anybody in connection with this incident. However, officials are saying preliminary investigations do show that the female driver of the minivan, whose name has not been released, ran the red light at a nearby intersection and triggered the crash.
Whoever is responsible and whatever the cause of the crash, a family has lost a valuable member. A wife has lost her husband and a young girl, her father. A life is irreplaceable and that is the sad fact of any fatal auto accident. Our hearts and prayers go out to this young family.
If the initial investigations in this case turn out to be accurate, the driver of the minivan, who ran the stop light and caused the fatal crash, may be held financially responsible and liable for the death and injuries. Criminal charges could be filed depending on the circumstances of the crash and the level of negligence. Criminal charges will be likely if the driver was determined to be driving under the influence. No details about that have emerged so far.
Also, what caused the driver to run the red light? Was she simply trying to beat the light? Was she distracted? These are issues investigators should and probably will look into. But it will be in the victim’s family’s best interest to retain a personal injury law firm that has the resources and power to conduct an independent investigation of this incident. Preliminary reports may sometimes not tell the whole story and law enforcement agencies often don’t have the time, manpower or resources to delve too deeply into such incidents.
The family needs a personal injury attorney on their side who will protect their legal rights, guide them through the process, help them find the truth and hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions.