Pedestrian Killed in Lake Forest Hit and Run Crash

Oscar Martinez, 33, was killed in a Lake Forest pedestrian accident, which officials say, involved a hit-and-run driver. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal crash occurred the evening of Sept. 24. Witnesses reported the man lying in the street suffering from a head injury near the intersection of Ridge Route Drive and Rockfield Boulevard. Deputies and paramedics were sent to the scene, but the man was pronounced dead.

The Register reported that physical evidence was scarce and that the Sheriff’s Major Accident Reconstruction Team had difficulty piecing together the circumstances that led up to Martinez’s death. Investigators are asking anyone who might have been traveling along Ridge Route between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 to call dispatchers at 949-770-6011.

Our deepest condolences go out to the family members of Oscar Martinez for their tremendous loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

The Trauma of a Hit and Run

Hit-and-run crashes are traumatic for victims’ families not just because of the physical injuries or the irreparable loss of a loved one. Families that have lost loved ones in these types of crashes also wrestle with the fact that the driver left the scene and has not been held accountable. They struggle for closure because they do not know what happened until the driver is apprehended. And statistics tell us that a staggering number of these hit-and-run drivers are not caught.

Hit-and-run investigations rely significantly on public testimony. That’s why, if you see something, it’s important to say something. Hit-and-run cases are resuscitated not only when members of the public call to report they might have seen something, but also when auto body shop workers call in to report suspicious vehicles that look like they’ve been involved in a hit-and-run crash. All of these tips are important in order to help police apprehend the driver and bring him or her to justice.

If You Have Lost a Loved One

If you have lost a loved one in a hit-and-run accident, it is important that you retain the services of an experienced Orange County hit and run lawyer who has successfully fought for the rights of injured victims and their families. A knowledgeable lawyer can also help you understand how your own auto insurance policy might help compensate you in hit and run cases where the driver has not been identified or in a case where the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.

 

Source: https://www.ocregister.com/2018/09/25/pedestrian-dies-in-lake-forest-hit-and-run-deputies-seek-witnesses/