California Injury Blog
A 13-year-old girl was seriously injured in Santa Ana car accident after a driver struck her bicycle and drove away. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the hit-and-run accident occurred at the intersection of West Warner Avenue and South Greenville Street in Santa Ana, the night of February 6, 2012. Officials say the girl was riding through a crosswalk at an intersection when the car hit her. She suffered significant injuries. The suspect vehicle has been described as small, but there is no other information currently available.
My thoughts and prayers are with the young victim of this hit-and-run car accident. I wish her the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.
Orange County Bicycle Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), two people were killed and 131 were injured in Santa Ana bicycle accidents. During that same year, there were 12 fatalities and 1,199 injuries sustained in Orange County bicycle accidents.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
Based on this news account, the car’s driver struck the bicyclist and left the scene without contacting the authorities. In fact, the report states that the driver did not even stop to help the seriously injured girl. Appalling! Not only is leaving the scene of an injury car accident an unconscionable act, but it is also illegal. 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 Wrongdoers Accountable
Officials are still looking for the driver who left the scene of this injury collision. I trust the authorities are able to quickly apprehend this individual and prosecute him or her to the fullest extent of the law. If you have any information about this accident, please visit our web site www.hitandrunreward.com. Our site allows witnesses to provide an anonymous tip and become eligible to receive a $1,000 reward. This site is a part of our effort to partner with the community and help law enforcement track down these hit-and-run drivers.
The family of a child injured in a hit-and-run accident would be well advised to contact an experienced Santa Ana personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. A skilled car accident attorney will better inform families about how their own auto insurance policy applies to an incident where the suspect is not found, or, in a crash where the at-fault motorist is uninsured or underinsured.