Pedestrian Struck and Killed By Ontario Airport Sweeper Truck

A 20-year-old pedestrian died after she was hit by a maintenance sweeper truck at the Ontario International Airport while she was walking across a marked crosswalk. According to an article in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the Ford Dually being driven by an airport employee was traveling at 15 miles an hour, southbound on the rental car lane when it struck Reyna Rivera of Madison, Wisconsin.

Rivera was air-lifted to the Loma Linda University Medical Center, where she died of her injuries, according the San Bernardino County Coroner’s report. The newspaper reports that the airport is investigating the accident to see if their employee was responsible for the fatal accident. Apparently, there were witnesses who saw it happen. The truck driver was released.

It would certainly be interesting to find out how this accident occurred. But it seems as if the employee who was driving the truck should have stopped for the woman who was going across the lanes on a marked crosswalk. Officials would also probably want to find out whether there was something on the roadway that prevented the truck driver from seeing the pedestrian who was crossing the street. Airport officials are promising that they will take disciplinary action against the driver if he is found at fault.

While that is mildly reassuring, this is a tragic accident that took the life of a young woman. Negligence in such cases must be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Rivera’s family will also benefit from the services of a competent personal injury lawyer who is experienced and knowledgeable about pedestrian accidents. The airport could be held liable for her death if the employee, who was clearly acting in his capacity as a worker and driving a maintenance vehicle at the time, is found at fault or was found negligent. There is no mention of any drug or alcohol testing, but hopefully, investigators have looked into that aspect of the case.

We wish Rivera’s family well and hope they get the help they need to find the justice and the answers they deserve to get.