California Injury Blog

Richard Ciancone, 58, was killed in a Huntington Beach car accident after his motorcycle was struck at a street intersection early morning on February 7, 2010. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal motorcycle accident occurred when Ciancone was riding his motorcycle west on Heil Avenue near Bradbury Lane. That's when Nathan Bower, 19, the driver of a 2007 Honda Element heading east on Heil, apparently attempted to turn left onto Bradbury Lane and collided with the motorcycle. Ciancone was ejected from the motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My heart goes out to everybody who knew and loved Richard Ciancone. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends for their devastating loss. This grieving family will certainly be in my prayers.

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Three children were injured, one critically, in a Fontana dog bite incident after a pack of five pit bull mixes attacked them. The Press-Enterprise reports that the children -- Princess Colon, 7, Hector Perez, 6, Destiny Colon, 5, and a 3-year-old - were on their way to a park the afternoon of February 1, 2010, with their mother Josie Arellano, when the dogs attacked them. Destiny suffered critical injuries and bites while Hector had to get 235 stitches and Princess, 18 stitches to close up the tears and bites.

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An Orange County car accident caused fatal injuries to an 80-year-old man as he was attempting to cross a roadway in Seal Beach. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred the morning of January 29, 2010 when the man was crossing at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Bolsa Avenue. He was struck by a vehicle and taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries.

I offer my heartfelt sympathies to this deceased victim's family and friends. Please keep them in your prayers.

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One man was killed in a Sacramento car accident that involved a garbage truck and a satellite television installation van. According to a news report in the Sacramento Bee, the fatal car accident occurred the morning of February 4, 2010 on Folsom Boulevard near Florin Perkins Road. The vehicles collided and then the garbage truck crashed into a children's daycare center. The driver of the van died. The driver of the garbage truck was transported to an area hospital with major injuries. Thankfully, no one was harmed at the daycare center.

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Three children were injured in a Fontana dog bite incident after they were brutally attacked by a pack of loose pit bull mixes. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, 5-year-old Destiny Colon was the most seriously injured in the attack, which occurred late afternoon on February 1, 2010, when Josie Arellano was walking to a neighborhood park with four of her children -- Princess Colon, 7, Hector Perez, 6, Destiny, 5, and a 3-year-old. Arellano and the 3-year-old were the only ones uninjured in the attack. Hector and Princess sustained severe bites on their legs. Hector needed 235 stitches to close up his wounds while Princess needed 18 stitches.

Continue reading "Three Children Injured in San Bernardino Dog Attack" »

Sanjay Patel, 26, was seriously injured in a Sacramento car accident after the bicycle he was riding was struck by a vehicle the night of January 31, 2010. According to a news report, Patel was riding his bike on Folsom Boulevard near the Highway 50 overpass when a Ford Explorer struck his bicycle. The driver of the SUV, later identified as 23-year-old Amira Fakira, had continued without stopping after the collision, and dragged Patel who was trapped under the vehicle, a quarter of a mile to Norcade Circle. She then struck another vehicle. Patel was then dislodged from underneath the vehicle as Fakira made a three-point turn back toward Folsom Boulevard.

A witness to this horrific hit-and-run accident managed to grab the keys from the ignition of Fakira's SUV when it was stopped at a red light and detained her until California Highway Patrol officials arrived on scene. Witnesses also told officials that the driver of the Explorer drifted into the bike lane and hit the cyclist. Fakira was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run and drunk driving. Patel remains hospitalized in serious condition.

Continue reading "Sacramento Hit-and-Run Car Accident Injures Bicyclist" »

Cody Rodenbucher, 17, was killed in a Riverside car accident when he was struck by a vehicle while walking along a street in Banning. According to a KPSP news report, Cody was hit by a dark-colored car in the 4500 block of Ramsey Street early morning on January 30, 2010. He died at the scene from severe injuries. The driver of the vehicle fled the site of the fatal injury accident. However, a surveillance camera nearby apparently captured images of the car as it traveled east on Ramsey.

Officials tracked down the car to the parking lot of a nearby hotel and interviewed 28-year-old Sachin Bhakta in connection with the incident. He is being viewed as a "person of interest" in this fatal hit-and-run pedestrian accident. Anyone who saw this incident or has more information is asked to contact Banning police officials at 951-922-3170.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Cody Rodenbucher for their tragic and untimely loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to them. Please keep this family in your prayers.

Continue reading "Teen Pedestrian Killed in Riverside Hit-and-Run Car Accident" »

A 15-year-old skateboarder killed in a San Diego car accident on January 29, 2010, has been identified as Lucas Giaconelli. According to a 10news report, Lucas was skateboarding with friends on Thibodo Road, near Edna Way, when a speeding Toyota Camry hit him from behind. The teen was soon transported to a local hospital with critical injuries, but died shortly afterward. The driver of the Camry did not stop and fled the scene of the fatal pedestrian accident. San Diego Sheriff's deputies are looking for a white 1990s Toyota Camry with tinted windows, a broken headlight and front-end damage. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's department at 858-565-5200.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of young Lucas Giaconelli for their tragic, heartbreaking and untimely loss. I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved this boy.

Continue reading "Teen Skateboarder Killed in Vista Hit-and-Run Car Accident" »

A Fresno car accident involving a suspected drunk driver fatally injured a 76-year-old man the afternoon of January 24, 2010. According to a news report in the Fresno Bee, the fatal car accident occurred when 23-year-old Michael Freeman who was traveling west on McKinley Avenue, struck a Nissan Frontier that was going south on the Highway 145. The Nissan's driver was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. Freeman was also injured. Authorities arrested Freeman on suspicion of drunk driving. A 22-year-old passenger in Freeman's car also sustained major injuries.

My heart goes out to this victim's family for their sudden and devastating loss. They will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.

Continue reading "Fresno DUI Car Accident Kills Driver" »

A San Francisco car accident that occurred the morning of January 27, 2010 has left four people with serious injuries. According to a CBS News report, the injury collision happened at the intersection of Arch Street and Brotherhood Way. One of the drivers fled the crash scene. However, he was apprehended immediately afterward by responding police officers. Three injured victims from the car that was struck by the hit-and-run suspect were taken to an area hospital. The victims, including an infant, are expected to survive.

I sympathize with the victims who apparently suffered serious but non life-threatening injuries in this car accident. I'm pleased to note that they are recovering. I hope and pray that they recover quickly and completely.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 51 fatalities and 3,632 injuries involving car accidents in San Francisco.

Continue reading "Four Sustain Injuries in San Francisco Car Accident" »

A 27-year-old man faces two counts of murder and other charges stemming from a fatal Los Angeles car accident, which killed 20-year-old Renee Hardy and 22-year-old Telassie Dague. According to a news report in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Alan Michael McConnell was intoxicated early morning January 23, 2010 as he drove east on Foothill Boulevard in La Verne in Dague's car. The car collided with another vehicle at the intersection of Foothill and Damien Avenue. McConnell tried to flee the scene of the crash, lost control and hit a tree in the median. Hardy and Dague sustained fatal injuries, but McConnell was uninjured.

McConnell is also facing four misdemeanor charges for driving intoxicated, hit-and-run, driving on a suspended license and for driving without proof of insurance, which is an infraction. He is facing murder charges because he has a prior DUI conviction.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of Renee Hardy and Telassie Dague for their untimely loss. This story is yet another tragic reminder of the consequences of drinking and driving. It's a no-win situation for everyone concerned. Tragic!

Continue reading "Murder Charges Filed in Los Angeles DUI Car Accident" »

A 76-year-old man was fatally injured in a Fresno car accident after his vehicle was struck by a suspected drunk driver the afternoon of January 24, 2010. The Fresno Bee reports that 23-year-old Michael Freeman was heading west on McKinley Avenue when he struck a Nissan Frontier, which was southbound on Highway 145. The driver of the Nissan was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. Freeman sustained major injuries, but was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Dustin Perger, 22, who was a passenger in Freeman's car, was also hospitalized with serious injuries.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased victim for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

Continue reading "Fatal Fresno DUI Car Accident" »