sacramento

California Highway Patrol Officer Andy Beasley was severely injured in a car accident in Sacramento County after his motorcycle hit a vehicle that had moments earlier been involved in a separate collision. According to a CBS13 news report the injury crash occurred the morning of September 25, 2012 in the westbound lanes of the Interstate 80 near Greenback Lane. Officials say a Chevy Cruze driven by 53-year-old Debra Andes was traveling in the number two lane, when it rear-ended a Toyota Corolla driven by 50-year-old Jessica Brown.

The impact pushed the Corolla into the number one lane, in front of Beasley’s motorcycle. The motorcycle struck the driver’s side of the Corolla. Officer Beasley was ejected from the motorcycle and thrown onto the guardrail. He was transported to a local hospital with major injuries including multiple fractures, abrasions and a concussion. The injuries are not believed to be life threatening. It is not clear if any charges will be filed in this case. The investigation is ongoing.

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Officials have identified a man who was killed in a Sacramento area car accident, which involved about 40 vehicles, as Douglas Swasey. According to an Associated Press news report, the fatal car accident occurred in snowy weather on the Interstate 80 near Yuba Gap the afternoon of March 18, 2011. California Highway Patrol officials say Swasey was killed when he stepped out of his truck to either put chains on or to get it free. The roadways were slick at the time, officials said. According to other news reports, the chain-reaction crash was triggered by a big rig that fell on four vehicles. It is not clear how the big rig went out of control on the slick roadways. At least a dozen others were taken to local hospitals for treatment of minor to moderate injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Douglas Swasey for their devastating loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. My heart also goes out to the many injured victims of this horrific crash. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were four deaths and 60 injuries involving car accidents in the unincorporated areas of Yuba County. During the same year, 12 people died and 287 were injured in car accidents in Yuba County.

Causes, Laws and Liability Issues

Based on this news report, it is not clear how or why this fatal chain-reaction car accident involving 40 vehicles occurred. Did the big rig cause this crash? Officials say the rain and snow may have played a part, but there are many other questions here. Was the big rig driver going too fast given the slick roadway and cold weather conditions? Read the rest »

Police officer Bobby Daniels, 47, was seriously injured in a Sacramento area car accident, which officials say, involved a driver under the influence of alcohol. According to a news report in the Rocklin & Roseville Today, the injury accident occurred on Fairway Drive at Blue Oaks Boulevard in Roseville the afternoon of January 22, 2011. Ilia Arthur Wong, 20, lost control of his 1993 Jeep SUV while making a turn and ended up striking Daniels on the sidewalk. The off-duty Sacramento police officer sustained major injuries. Wong has been arrested for DUI causing injury.

My thoughts and prayers are with Officer Bobby Daniels following this pedestrian accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery from his injuries.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), three people were killed and 62 were injured in Roseville DUI collisions. During that same year, there were 10 fatalities and 190 injuries reported due to alcohol-related car accidents in Placer County. Read the rest »

Patricia Ann Erickson, 73, was killed in a Sacramento car accident while crossing the road at a busy intersection the night of November 24, 2010. According to KXTV, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred at Auburn Boulevard and Halifax Street in Citrus Heights. A car traveling on Auburn Boulevard struck Erickson. She was transported to a local hospital where she died from her injuries. Investigators are still looking into the cause of this fatal pedestrian accident. Read the rest »

Crystal Marie Rodriguez, 19, was killed in a Sacramento area car accident after the 1997 Ford SUV in which she was a passenger crashed the morning of September 11, 2010. According to a news report in The Sacramento Bee, the fatal rollover crash occurred on County Road 35 in Woodland. California Highway Patrol officials say the driver of the SUV, 19-year-old Timothy Patrick Hernandez, has been arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter. Eight others, including the driver, were injured. Six sustained major injuries. Rodriguez was ejected and killed at the scene. Read the rest »

Lolita Buenviaje, 49, was killed in a Sacramento car accident the night of June 13, 2010 after the car in which she was a passenger blew a tire and rolled over. According to a news report, the fatal accident occurred on the northbound 5 Freeway just north of the Pete Miller Road overcrossing, between the Newman and Gustine exits. Officials said Buenviaje was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the 2005 Chevrolet. The driver of the Chevy, 46-year-old Arnel Buenviaje, sustained major injuries and was airlifted to an area hospital. Three others in the vehicle suffered minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital. Read the rest »