California Injury Blog
Huntington Beach Pedestrian versus Auto Accident
A 67-year-old Garden Grove man was killed in a Huntington Beach pedestrian accident after he was struck by a vehicle on Warner Avenue near Bolsa Chica Street, The Orange County Register reports. Jorge Salazarleon was driving a 2008 Land Rover the morning of March 13, 2009 when he struck the pedestrian, Orange County Coroner’s officials said. Salazarleon was uninjured, but the pedestrian suffered major head injuries from the collision. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.
The victim remains unidentified pending notification of his family. Huntington Beach police say drugs or alcohol don’t seem to be a factor in this fatal Orange County auto accident. No charges have been filed against Salazarleon pending an investigation. Anyone who saw this fatal Huntington Beach pedestrian accident is asked to call Huntington Beach Police Traffic Division at 714-536-5666.
My heart goes out to the family of this pedestrian accident victim. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved this man. Please keep them in your prayers.
According to the California Highway Patrol’s 2006 traffic accident statistics, there were four pedestrian accident fatalities and 55 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Huntington Beach. In Orange County as a whole, 45 deaths and 802 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents.
In this particular case, it is not clear how the pedestrian was struck by the vehicle. Was the pedestrian walking on the side of the road? Was he crossing the street and if so, was he walking in a marked/unmarked crosswalk or at an intersection? Was the driver of the Land Rover, Salazarleon, distracted or inattentive at the time of the accident? These are all questions that must be answered to determine how or why this California pedestrian accident occurred.
If the pedestrian was crossing the street in a marked or unmarked crosswalk or if he was crossing at an intersection, the driver should have stopped for the pedestrian. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.” The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.”
The victim’s family here would be well-advised to consult with an experienced Orange County pedestrian accident attorney, who will determine the facts of this case and hold the negligent parties accountable for their actions. If there was a dangerous condition on the roadway that caused or contributed to this auto accident, a skilled Orange County personal injury attorney will be able to determine whether the city of Huntington Beach could be held liable. Please remember that in California, any claim against a governmental agency must be filed within six months of the accident.
Our source for this blog was the Orange County Register Web site.