San Diego

Joan Milazzo, 56, was killed in a San Diego car accident after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street. According to a 10News report, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred in the 14900 block of Camino Del Sur, the morning of August 30, 2011. Milazzo had been hiking with her husband and sister, when a Nissan Sentra traveling at a high rate of speed hit her. Police say the 24-year-old male driver lost control of the vehicle and skidded into Milazzo as she stepped on to a curb. She was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. An investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Joan Milazzo for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 18 fatalities and 494 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in the city of San Diego. Countywide, pedestrian accidents claimed 57 lives and caused 937 injuries, during the same year.

Excessive Speed

Based on this news report, it appears that Milazzo had almost made it to the other side of the road when the out-of-control Nissan hit her. Officials say the driver of the Nissan was traveling at an unsafe rate of speed at the time. California Vehicle Code Section 22350 (Basic Speed Law) states: "No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic and on surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property."

Fault and Liability

It is unclear at this time if alcohol or drugs were involved in this crash as well. If the driver of the Nissan is determined to have been at fault, he could face criminal charges and be held civilly liable for Milazzo's wrongful death. In cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, the family of a deceased car accident victim can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for medical expenses, funeral costs, lost future income and benefits, as well as loss of companionship. An experienced San Diego personal injury lawyerwill be able to better advice families in such cases about their legal rights and options.

Jorge Salas, 43, was injured in a San Diego car accident when a 27-year-old Border Patrol agent lost control of his vehicle and crashed head-on with Salas' vehicle the morning of May 18, 2011. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the injury accident occurred on Route 94 in Dulzura, near Otay Lakes Road. The patrol vehicle veered out of control in the wet conditions and crashed head-on into a westbound Nissan Altima. Salas, who was in the Nissan, sustained major injuries and had to be cut from his vehicle. The patrol officer sustained minor injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with Jorge Salas following this serious injury accident. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery. Read the rest »

Maria Medina, 62, was injured in a San Diego car accident when a tire on her 1993 Ford Ranger blew out and separated. According to a news report in The Imperial Valley Press, the injury rollover accident occurred at Orchard Road in Imperial County the morning of May 13, 2011. Medina was travelling north when the tread on the right rear tire separated and her vehicle veered out of control. The pickup rolled over the center median before coming to rest on the shoulder. Emergency workers had to free the victim from her vehicle by shearing off the roof of her pickup truck. She suffered a broken left hand and arm. No one else was injured in the crash.

My thoughts and prayers are with Maria Medina following this serious injury rollover accident. I wish her the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 25 people were killed and 297 were injured as a result of car accidents in the unincorporated areas of Imperial County. During the same year, there were 34 fatalities and 475 injuries reported as a result of Imperial County car accidents.

Tire Tread Separation Causes Rollover

It appears from the report that the vehicle veered out of control and rolled over after the tread on one of the tires separated. It will have to be determined what caused this tire tread separation. Did the tire fail because it was defective? If so, the tire manufacturer may be liable for the crash. Did the vehicle roll over because of a defective design? If that was the case, the manufacturer of the defectively designed vehicle can also be held financially responsible for the injuries, damages and losses sustained. Once a tire loses its tread, it can become difficult even for experienced drivers to regain control of the vehicle. Read the rest »

Gilbert N. Amador, 73, was killed in a San Diego car accident after his vehicle struck a semi truck. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the fatal car accident occurred the morning of April 28, 2011 in Dulzura. Officials say Amador struck a big rig that had stopped as it prepared to make a left turn. Amador was transported to a local hospital where he died May 2, 2011.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Gilbert N. Amador for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Car Accident Statistics

According to the California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 90 fatalities and 2,252 injuries involving car accidents in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. Also, during the same year, 246 people died and 13,527 injuries were reported as a result of car accidents in San Diego County as a whole. Read the rest »

U.S. Navy sailor Blake Andrew Martin, 20, was killed in a San Diego car accident when a Cadillac CTS struck his motorcycle. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the motorcycle accident occurred on Rosecrans Street near Canon Street in Point Loma on March 31, 2011. Martin was northbound on his motorcycle when the Cadillac traveling in the opposing lane made a left hand turn and the two vehicles collided. Martin passed away from his injuries at the scene of the crash. An investigation is ongoing.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Blake Andrew Martin following this tragic motorcycle accident. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

San Diego Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 16 people were killed and 355 were injured in San Diego motorcycle accidents. During that same year, there were 51 fatalities and 1,081 injuries reported as a result of San Diego County motorcycle accidents. Read the rest »

A hit-and-run driver, who has been arrested in connection with a San Diego car accident that killed 18-year-old bicyclist David Mendez, is facing drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter charges, The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The fatal bicycle accident occurred the morning of March 28, 2011 when Mendez was riding his bike on Sleeping Indian Lane in Oceanside. He was hit by a vehicle driven by a man later identified as 23-year-old Herman Gonzalez, who fled the scene. Vehicle debris was used to identify the suspect vehicle as a black 1998 Plymouth Neon.

Mendez was found lying on the roadway and transported to a regional hospital for treatment of massive head injuries. He died the following day. Gonzalez was arrested after his vehicle was found. He has been charged with felony DUI, hit-and-run and gross vehicular manslaughter. Police are still looking for witnesses to this fatal car accident. An investigation is ongoing. Read the rest »

Paul Allen Palika, 60, was killed in a San Diego car accident when a Lexus SUV struck his BMW motorcycle. According to a San Diego 6 news report, the fatal motorcycle accident occurred on the Interstate 805 in Clairemont Mesa the morning of March 21, 2011. Police say a male driver lost control of the Lexus on the slick roadway, struck a big rig and then careened into the path of the motorcycle. Palika was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Officials say the driver of the Lexus was traveling at about 80 mph on the wet roadway when he came up against slow-moving traffic. An investigation is ongoing.

My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Paul Allen Palika. My thoughts and prayers are with them following this tragic motorcycle accident. Read the rest »

Ignacio Manriques Sanchez , 73, was killed in a San Diego car accident when a minivan veered out of control and struck his bicycle the morning of March 6, 2011. According to a news report in the San Diego Union-Tribune, the fatal bicycle accident occurred on Skyline Drive near Bowie Street in the Skyline area of San Diego. A Dodge minivan, driven by a 47-year-old woman, struck a curb and crashed into Sanchez's bicycle. Sanchez hit the windshield of the vehicle and was thrown on to the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation into the cause of this fatal bicycle accident is underway.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Ignacio Manriques Sanchez, for their tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

San Diego Bicycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), three people were killed and 512 were injured in San Diego bicycle accidents. During that same year, there were seven fatalities and 959 injuries reported involving bicycle accidents in San Diego County. Read the rest »

At least 25 people were injured in a San Diego car accident the early morning of February 12, 2011 after an out-of-control taxi veered off a busy downtown street on to a sidewalk and into a large group of people in front of a nightclub in the Gaslamp District. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the injury car accident occurred at the intersection of Sixth and Island avenues and left 25 injured, six of whom are believed to be in critical condition. That includes one woman, whose leg was amputated below the knee after she was pinned between the taxi and a wall. The Emerald Cab taxi driver sustained a broken nose. Several victims suffered broken bones, cuts and bruises.

My heart goes out to all the injured victims of this car accident, who were sadly in the wrong place at the wrong time. As the police say, it is fortunate that the accident happened at 15 mph. If the taxi had been traveling any faster, we may have had fatalities here. I wish all the injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Read the rest »

A 14-year-old boy was seriously injured in a San Diego car accident involving a hit-and-run driver. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the hit-and-run car accident occurred on Washington Avenue near Juniper Street in Escondido on February 7, 2011. The boy was walking when a white Nissan Maxima struck him. The young victim is said to be in serious condition. Police are searching for the driver and the vehicle involved in this incident. Police say the suspect vehicle also has a missing passenger side mirror. People are requested to be on the look out for a Nissan Maxima with a missing passenger side mirror. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Escondido police at 760-839-4470.

My thoughts and prayers are with the boy injured in this hit-and-run car accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery from the injuries he has sustained.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), four people were killed and 55 were injured in Escondido pedestrian accidents. During that same year, 63 fatalities and 998 injuries happened due to San Diego County pedestrian accidents. Read the rest »