California Injury Blog
Two girls – 13 and 14 years old — were critically injured in a pedestrian accident at a Wilmington intersection when a man hit the girls as they were walking home from school and then tried to get away, the Daily Breeze reports. According to the article, police arrested 19-year-old Rigaldo Guevas after he reportedly swerved around a vehicle that had stopped at crosswalk and hit the young girls who were walking across the street.
Guevas allegedly tried to speed away, but was chased down and nabbed by two witnesses, who held him until police arrived and arrested him. Those two men are heroes in my eyes. They made sure the person responsible for causing this horrible accident would be brought to justice. Officials have not yet filed charges against Guevas.
The girls, whose names have not been released, were taken to an area hospital. The Breeze reports that one girl was unconscious and hooked to a breathing apparatus while the other was being treated for leg fractures. There were apparently several witnesses to this accident who saw Guevas speeding down the street in his black BMW.
There is no question based on these reports that Guevas was responsible for the crash. What’s more, the girls were walking on a crosswalk, which was clearly marked with fluorescent yellow pedestrian signals. The girls reportedly flew about 20 feet east of the crosswalk on impact. What kind of a person causes such mayhem and then tries to get away?
The other interesting detail is that witnesses and people who live in the neighborhood say speeding has always been an issue on that street, but there is not enough enforcement by police to stop these speed demons. We believe that cities should vigorously enforce traffic laws. Auto accidents are the leading cause of major injuries and death in the United States and there is no question that traffic safety should be high on the priority list of public safety officials.
This incident is of course deeply saddening. These young girls had their whole lives ahead of them and now, they are on hospital beds struggling to breathe and live again. They will definitely be in our prayers. The families of these girls should certainly consider retaining a personal injury attorney to represent them in this case. They should hire someone experienced and resourceful, who will fight for their daughters’ legal rights and make sure they get the compensation they deserve.
I know and understand that money is not in their minds right now. They want to see their daughters walk, talk and smile again. But soon medical bills will accrue and expenses will mount. A competent personal injury attorney will assist them in negotiating with insurance companies and help them get the financial support they need during these tough times.