California Injury Blog
Juanita Hernandez, 24, of Montclair was killed in a San Bernardino pedestrian accident, according to this article in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Hernandez was walking on Etiwanda Avenue the morning of January 20, 2009 when she was struck by a 1997 Chevrolet Suburban. Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Suburban, identified only as a 25-year-old Upland man, stopped after the crash. The accident is under investigation.
I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Juanita Hernandez. Please keep them in your prayers.
According to the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System in 2006, there were eight deaths and 51 injuries relating to pedestrian accidents in the city of San Bernardino. In the county as a whole, 57 deaths and 448 injuries were reported.
In this article of the fatal San Bernardino pedestrian accident, there is very little information about how exactly this collision occurred. The newspaper report states that Juanita Hernandez was walking on the road. But we don’t know if she was walking in a crosswalk. I trust the investigation will reveal the details.
With pedestrian accidents, the course of the investigation depends on who traffic investigators talk to. Eyewitnesses are extremely important in any auto accident case, but it’s especially true in pedestrian accident cases because where and how the pedestrian was on the street could change the entire complexion of the case.
It would be in the best interest of Juanita Hernandez’s family to consult with a reputed Southern California pedestrian accident attorney, who will help determine the facts of the case and establish whether the motorist’s carelessness or negligence caused this tragic accident. If Hernandez was in the bike lane or a crosswalk, then the motorist could be held liable. If this fatal pedestrian accident occurred because of a dangerous condition on the roadway, then the city or the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable. Any claim against a governmental agency must be filed properly within six months of the accident.