California Injury Blog
Karen Karapetyan, 33, of Garden Grove, died after a suspected drunk driver ran a red light and hit the Orange County man’s taxicab triggering a four-car crash, Fox News reports. The 5-Series gray BMW, driven by 29-year-old Avishkar Padhye, was reportedly traveling south on Highland Avenue. Padhye sped through a red light on Sunset Boulevard and struck Karapetyan’s eastbound taxicab on the driver’s side, killing him on impact.
The auto accident sent the BMW and the taxicab careening into two other vehicles, causing minor injuries to one other person. Padhye has been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter, Los Angeles Police Department officials said.
I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of Karen Karapetyan for their irreparable loss.
Padhye should be held criminally and civilly responsible for the accident, injuries and the death of Karen Karapetyan. He had no regard for the law, traffic rules and most of all, for the life of another human being. In 2006, there were 4,229 fatal traffic accidents in California, according to this Web site. Out of that, 1,276 collisions (35 percent) were alcohol-related.
The family of Karen Karapetyan deserves to be rightfully compensated for their tremendous loss. They would be well advised to contact a reputed Southern California auto accident attorney who will file a wrongful death claim on their behalf and fight for their rights. An experienced attorney will look into the role other vehicles played in the crash and examine whether there was a dangerous condition on that roadway or intersection.
If the driver of the BMW was uninsured or did not have sufficient insurance, Karapetyan’s auto insurance could provide compensation through his “uninsured” or “underinsured” motorist coverage.