California Injury Blog
Mohamed Abdirahman Husien, 82, was killed in a San Diego pedestrian accident after he was struck by an unlicensed driver on his way to prayer services at a nearby mosque. According to this news report in the San Diego Union-Tribune, Husien was walking across University Avenue in City Heights the morning of February 28, 2009 when he was hit by a Honda sedan. The driver told San Diego police officials that he did not see Husien because it was dark.
Officials are also wondering whether to consider this a hit-and-run because the driver of the Honda did not stop after the accident. He told officers that he drove home soon after the accident, picked up his wife and drove back to the scene of the accident to explain the situation to officers. It is also not clear whether the driver of the Honda had any auto insurance coverage.
My heart goes out to the family of Mohamed Abdirahman Husien, who was tragically killed in this San Diego pedestrian accident. Apparently, he was a beloved and popular member of Masjid Alnasar, a neighborhood mosque. I offer my deepest sympathies to Husien’s family and friends. Please keep them in your prayers.
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2006 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were 25 fatalities and 518 injuries reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in San Diego. In San Diego County as a whole, there were 65 deaths and 940 injuries related to pedestrian accidents during the same period.
Leaving the scene of an accident – whatever the reason may be – is against California law. According to California Vehicle Code section 20001 (a): “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.” The motorist is required under California law to stop – whether the auto accident was their fault or not. Failing to stop at the scene of an accident is a criminal offense and may be punished with jail time and serious penalties.
The family of Mohamed Abdirahman Husien would be well-advised to contact a reputed San Diego personal injury attorney, who will examine the facts of this case and determine if there was any negligence or wrongdoing on the part of the motorist. There is also a chance that the unlicensed driver here does not have motor vehicle insurance. If that is the case, then Husien’s family may be eligible to receive compensation for their loss through the uninsured or underinsured clause of a motor vehicle insurance policy under which Husien is covered. What this means is that if Husien or anyone in Husien’s household has an auto insurance policy that covers the policy holder for injuries caused by an uninsured motorist, then the household members could be compensated. A knowledgeable California auto accident lawyer will be able to guide injured victims and their families through this complex process successfully