California Injury Blog
Chong Min, 75, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after he was struck by a vehicle while walking in a crosswalk. According to a news report in the Daily Breeze, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred the night of August 6, 2011 at the intersection of Mesa and Third streets in San Pedro. Officials say Min was walking southbound on Mesa, when he was hit by a white minivan that was traveling west on Third. Min sustained a skull fracture and was pronounced dead in an area hospital. The driver of the minivan did not stop or contact authorities. Anyone with information about this fatal collision is asked to contact LAPD’s South Traffic Division at 323-421-2500.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Chong Min, who was killed in this tragic hit-and-run car accident. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 86 fatalities and 2,630 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in the city of Los Angeles. Countywide, 179 people died and 4,718 were injured due to pedestrian accidents, during the same year.
Leaving the Scene of a Crash
If the details of this news report are accurate, it appears that the driver of the white minivan not only struck down an elderly pedestrian, who was legally walking in a marked crosswalk at the intersection, but left him lying on the roadway, critically injured, without care or medical attention. Outrageous!
California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states that motorists are required to yield right-of-way to pedestrians walking in marked or unmarked crosswalks. In addition, this driver left the scene without stopping, waiting for authorities, or rendering aid to the elderly victim. 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.”
Holding Hit-and-Run Drivers Accountable
If you have any information about this incident, please visit our dedicated hit-and-run web site at www.hitandrunreward.com to offer an anonymous tip and become eligible to receive a $1,000 reward. Let us team up and assist law enforcement to apprehend such hit-and-run drivers and hold them accountable.
In these types of cases, where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, families of deceased victims would be well-advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will also be able to better advise families about how their own car insurance policy applies to a hit-and-run car accident where the driver is not identified, or, in a case where the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.