long beach

Two women suffered serious injuries in a Long Beach car accident, which officials say involved a hit-and-run driver, the night of October 14, 2011. According to a City News Service report, the pedestrian collision occurred on Pacific Coast Highway, near Loma Avenue, when a dark-colored Lexus struck them. One of the women, who was in her 20s, was listed in stable condition with multiple injuries, while the other woman, who was in her 30s, was listed in critical condition. Officials say the driver of the Lexus fled the scene of the crash. The vehicle is said to have sustained windshield damage during the accident. Anyone with information about the suspect or the vehicle is asked to contact Long Beach police at 562-435-6711.

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Kathleen Blair, 41, of San Pedro was killed in a Long Beach car accident after the motorcycle on which she was a passenger, was struck by a vehicle. According to a City News Service report, the fatal motorcycle accident occurred in the southbound lanes of the 710 Freeway at Willow Street, the afternoon of September 26, 2011. Blair was a passenger on a 2004 Harley Davidson driven by 46-year-old Darrin E. Metzger. Officials say Metzger was riding the motorcycle at a high rate of speed and making unsafe lane changes. The collision apparently occurred as Metzger straddled the number one and two lanes in an attempt to pass a Nissan Murano and a big rig. The motorcycle struck the Murano. Both Metzger and Blair were ejected on impact. Blair was run over by the big rig. An investigation is ongoing.

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A woman sustained major injuries in a Long Beach car accident after her vehicle was struck by a semi-trailer. According to a news report in The Press-Telegram, the major injury collision occurred the night of August 24, 2011 near the 405 Freeway transition to the southbound 710 Freeway. California Highway Patrol officials say that the truck that was transitioning from the 405 to the 710 overturned on to the top of a Honda car. The woman, who was the driver of the Honda, suffered major injuries while the truck driver escaped with minor injuries. Officials are still trying to determine the cause of this accident. The driver of the Honda was extricated from her vehicle and transported to an area hospital. An investigation is ongoing.

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Leonardo Antonio Florez, 56, was killed in a Long Beach car accident after he was rear-ended by a van. According to a news report in The Press Telegram, the fatal bicycle accident occurred early morning on March 18, 2011 on Carson Street. Police say Florez was riding his bike eastbound on Carson. A 2009 Ford van, which was also going east, struck the bicycle from behind. Both the bicycle and van were in the number two lane and there was no bike lane on that street. The driver of the van, a 57-year-old Huntington Park resident, stopped and called for help. Anyone with more information about this incident is asked to contact Long Beach police at 562-570-7355.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Leonardo Antonio Florez for their tragic and sudden loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Bicycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were three fatalities and 181 injuries involving bicycle accidents in Long Beach. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 33 people died and 3,315 were injured as a result of bicycle accidents during the same year. Read the rest »

A 48-year-old man was killed in a Long Beach car accident after he was struck while crossing the street. According to a news report in The Press-Telegram, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Anaheim Street in Long Beach the night of November 27, 2010. Police say the man was in a crosswalk at the time, but are not sure if he had the green light. An investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest sympathies to everybody who knew and loved this fatally injured victim. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Read the rest »

A 71-year-old woman was struck and killed in a Long Beach car accident, which police say, was caused by a female driver under the influence of alcohol. According to a news report in The Press Telegram, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred on Anaheim St. near Elm Ave. in Long Beach the night of November 14, 2010. The elderly woman was waiting at a bus stop when a 2003 silver Jaguar drove onto the sidewalk and struck her. She was transported to a local hospital where she died from her injuries. Danita Rector, 41, the driver, has been booked on suspicion of felony drunk driving and vehicle manslaughter with gross negligence. Read the rest »

Four firefighters sustained serious injuries in a Long Beach car accident, which a authorities believe may have been caused by a speed miscalculation on the part of a truck driver. The Long Beach Press-Telegram reports that the collision occurred the morning of September 30, 2010 on the southbound 605 Freeway. Read the rest »

A worker sustained fatal job injuries after being crushed by equipment at a Long Beach rail facility. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, the fatal workplace accident occurred in the 2400 block of East Sepulveda Boulevard the morning of September 18, 2010. The worker was standing under a crane and doing repair work when the accident occurred, a fellow worker told the Times. The victim died instantly. Another worker, who was in the area, was also pinned under the crane and sustained injuries. But, the extent of his injuries is not known. An investigation is ongoing. Read the rest »

A Metro Blue Line train accident in Long Beach the afternoon of July 7, 2010 was likely caused by the train driver running a red light, the Associated Press reports. Long Beach police officers say an onboard video shows the Metro Blue Line train running a stop signal before colliding with a Long Beach police patrol car injuring an officer, who still remains hospitalized with injuries. At least 10 passengers on the train sustained injuries in the crash as well. Read the rest »

Six people were injured, two of them critically, in a Long Beach car accident the afternoon of March 10, 2010. According to a news report in The Press Telegram, the accident occurred on the northbound 710 Freeway near the Pacific Coast Highway, when a Coca-Cola van caused a chain-reaction collision involving a Caltrans van, a Caltrans truck and an SUV. Two men were taken to an area hospital with critical injuries and four others were treated for what were described as minor to moderate injuries. Four of the injured victims were Caltrans employees, Long Beach fire officials said. An investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing. Read the rest »