Orange County

Three people were injured in an Orange County car accident involving a trailer, which got disconnected from a truck and veered through traffic. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the truck accident occurred on the northbound 57 at Tonner Canyon in Brea, the morning of February 3, 2012. Officials say a trailer unhooked from a truck, crossed lanes of traffic and landed in the carpool lane. A Chevy pickup truck in the carpool lane managed to stop and avoid the trailer, as a white Nissan Sentra came to a stop behind the Chevy. A black Sentra then moved from the fast lane and crashed into the back of the white Sentra. The three injured victims were in the white Sentra. It is unclear if anyone will be cited for the crash.

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One person was injured in an Orange County car accident involving three vehicles, the morning of January 31, 2012. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the collision occurred in the southbound lanes of the 57 Freeway at Lambert Road in Brea. Officials say a Mazda veered into a Ford truck, which then struck a BMW. The BMW hit the center divider. One person in the BMW was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It is not clear what caused the driver of the Mazda to enter into the path of the Ford, or if the motorist will be cited for the collision.

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Four people were injured in an Orange County car accident after an elderly driver lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a doughnut shop. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred at 3744 E. Chapman Ave. in Orange on January 30, 2012. Police say the woman, who is in her 90s, accidentally stepped on the gas pedal of her Cadillac Northstar instead of the brake and accelerated. The Cadillac crashed into the patio of the doughnut shop, DK's Donuts, and struck three men. The men and the elderly driver were transported to area hospitals with unknown injuries.

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Jorene Ypanto Nicolas, 29, of San Diego has been arrested in connection with an Orange County car accident, which killed 23-year-old Deanna Mauer. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, prosecutors say Nicolas was distracted or inattentive at the time of the April 27, 2011 accident, which caused Mauer's death. Nicolas rammed Mauer's car from behind at 80 mph. Officials say they don't have evidence that Nicolas was using a cell phone when she caused the rear-end collision.

But they say it is clear that she was distracted because traffic on the northbound 405 Freeway near Edwards Street in Fountain Valley had stopped for several seconds. Nicolas did not even slow down or attempt to hit the brakes before slamming into Mauer's Hyundai sedan. Nicolas has been charged with one count of felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in connection with this Fountain Valley car accident. She faces up to six years in state prison if convicted.

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Eric Ford, 21, was killed in a Buena Park car accident when a vehicle struck him as he crossed the street. According to a news release made available on the Orange County Coroner's web site, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred on Beach Boulevard near Crescent Avenue in Buena Park, the afternoon of January 21, 2012. It is not clear how the accident occurred or who was at fault. Ford succumbed to his injuries on January 23, 2012. The news account does not specify if the driver was responsible for the crash.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Eric Ford for their terrible loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

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A woman was hospitalized in an Orange County car accident after a car struck her as she crossed the street in a crosswalk. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the pedestrian accident occurred at Richman and Baker avenues in Fullerton the morning of January 13, 2012. Officials have not released information regarding how or why the collision occurred, but said that the woman was hit by a Honda Civic whose driver remained at the scene. The pedestrian was found lying in the crosswalk near Woodcrest Elementary School. The nature and extent of the pedestrian's injuries is not known. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with the woman who has been injured in this Orange County car accident. I wish her the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

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Evert Walker, 24, of Lake Forest, was killed in an Orange County car accident after he lost control of his vehicle and crashed. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal car accident occurred early morning on January 14, 2012 on the 73 Toll Road in San Juan Capistrano. California Highway Patrol officials say Walker's Dodge Dakota veered to the left of the roadway, crashed into a guardrail and a raised concrete pole base, before catching fire. Officials are still looking into the cause of this fatal crash. Anyone with information is asked to contact CHP officials at 949-487-4000.

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A doughnut shop customer was severely injured in an Orange County car accident when a car crashed into the store. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the car crash occurred at the intersection of Western and Katella avenues in Stanton, the morning of January 10, 2012. Officials say Lori Wertz, 53, entered a parking lot, lost control of her vehicle and went through the front of the store. The male customer suffered a large cut to his forearm and was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. He is expected to survive. Officials are still looking into why Wertz lost control of the vehicle.

My thoughts and prayers are with victim of this Orange County accident. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

Orange County Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), four people were killed and 126 were injured in Stanton car accidents. During that same year, there were 141 fatalities and 13,373 injuries reported as a result of Orange County car crashes.

What Caused This Injury Accident?

Based on this news report, an investigation is underway to determine why Wertz continued through the parking lot and into the shop. Was she exceeding the speed limit? Was she driving distracted? Did another motorist force her into the shop? Were her brakes defective? Did alcohol consumption or recklessness contribute to the incident? I trust investigators are looking into all possible causes of this crash.

Liability Issues

Victims of car accidents would be well advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will stay abreast of the official investigation and make sure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. If it is determined that Wertz was responsible for this accident, she can be held liable for the injuries suffered by the victim as well as the property damage to the store. In cases involving negligence or wrongdoing, financial compensation may be available to victims for the damages including medical bills, hospitalization, the cost of rehabilitation services, lost wages, and other related expenses.

Two people, including the suspected drunk driver, were injured in a Laguna Beach car accident, which occurred early morning on January 6, 2012. According to a news report in the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot, the injury crash occurred in the 1500 block of Glenneyre Street. Police say 18-year-old Cameron Tyler Bigelow was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after crashing his vehicle into a home. Bigelow's passenger suffered a broken right leg, sprained neck and back, and severe trauma to his right eyeball. Bigelow had a laceration on the back of his head. Both were transported to an area hospital. Damages to the home were estimated at about $3,000.

It is indeed fortunate that none of the residents were injured in this crash. I wish the injured passenger the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

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A five-vehicle car accident in Anaheim, which sent seven people to area hospitals with injuries, was caused by a driver who made an unsafe lane change and rear-ended another vehicle, officials say. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury crash occurred the morning of January 4, 2012 on the 57 Freeway just north of Ball Road. California Highway Patrol officials say the chain-reaction crash happened when a Ford pickup truck moved from the number four to the number 5 lane and ended up rear-ending a GMC SUV. The impact pushed the GMC into the back of a Honda Accord, which veered to the left and swiped another Honda Accord, which was traveling in the number one lane. The investigation is still ongoing.

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