California Injury Blog

A man was injured in a Santa Ana car accident involving a collision between a Harley-Davidson and a white Honda Accord, the morning of August 30, 2011. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the motorcycle accident occurred on North Bristol Street, near Memory Lane, in Santa Ana. The motorcyclist was northbound on Bristol Street when a Honda exiting an apartment complex struck the Harley. The rider was injured and transported to a local hospital. The Honda's driver was not injured in the crash. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with the motorcyclist injured in this Orange County car accident. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

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David Powell, his daughter and another 6-year-old girl were injured in a San Diego dog bite incident involving a pit bull. According to a 10News report, the dog attack occurred the morning of August 28, 2011 on Auburn Drive, near Euclid Avenue, in the City Heights area. Powell is not the owner of the dog but he was taking care of it at the time of the attack. The dog escaped its chain, jumped a low fence, and attacked the two 6-year-old girls. One of the girls required stitches because of multiple cuts to her face, arms and fingers. The other girl sustained a bite to the neck, while David Powell was bitten on his hand. Officials are investigating the incident.

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Patrick John McIlroy, 70, of Sun Valley, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident, which officials say, involved a hit-and-run driver. According to a CBS News report, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred early morning on August 28, 2011 near the intersection of Saticoy Street near Atoll Avenue. Police say a white, four-door sedan was traveling west on Saticoy when it struck the man. The driver did not stop.

McIlroy died at the scene. The hit-and-run suspect, identified as 21-year-old Alicia Carolina Benites, turned herself to the West Valley police station more than eight hours after the crash. Benites is facing felony hit-and-run charges. An investigation is ongoing.

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One person was injured in an Orange County car accident, which may have involved an unsafe left turn, the morning of August 25, 2011. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred at the intersection of State College Boulevard and Dorothy Lane, near Calstate Fullerton. Police say the driver of a Toyota Camry traveling southbound on State College Boulevard tried to turn left at Dorothy Lane toward the Calstate Fullerton campus. The female driver of the Camry then pulled into the path of a northbound Mitsubishi Diamante. The vehicles collided head-on. The male driver of the Mitsubishi was taken to a local hospital with complaints of pain. The driver of the Camry was uninjured. An investigation is ongoing.

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A man was injured in an Orange County car accident after his vehicle was struck by another car that was attempting to make a left turn. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury accident occurred at Cypress Street and Garden Grove Boulevard in Garden Grove, the afternoon of August 23, 2011. Police say a Ford Taurus that was turning left at the intersection struck a Nissan Murano, which was eastbound on Garden Grove Boulevard. The Nissan rolled over. The male driver and his 16-year-old daughter were trapped in the vehicle. The girl in the Nissan as well as the Taurus' driver were uninjured. But, the driver of the Murano was transported to a local trauma center for treatment of unknown injuries.

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A 45-year-old woman and her 17-year-old son were critically injured in a Los Angeles car accident involving a hit-and-run driver. According to a City News Service report, the major injury pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of 80th Street and Western Avenue in Los Angeles, the morning of August 21, 2011. The two pedestrians were using a crosswalk when a dark, late-model car, possibly a Toyota, struck them. Both victims have been listed in critical condition. The driver, an African American woman in her 50s, fled the scene of the accident. Authorities are asking for the public's help to locate the hit-and-run driver. Anyone with information is asked to contact Los Angeles police officials at 323-421-2500.

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Brittney Cheeseman, 18, lost her unborn child in a Los Angeles car accident when a vehicle struck her as she crossed the street. According to a news report in the Daily Breeze, the pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Manchester Boulevard and Market Street in Inglewood, the night of August 20, 2011. Officials say Cheeseman was walking in a crosswalk when a gray 1996 Nissan ran a red light, hit her and fled the scene. Cheeseman has been treated for her injuries and is expected to survive, but her unborn child died.

The driver responsible for the accident, later identified as 57-year-old Janine Rachel Mayfield, was tracked down by the authorities after an "exhaustive investigation" and arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run. Officials apparently used a license plate number provided by witnesses at the scene.

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The last few years have been a free-for-all for auto product liability attorneys; Toyota put out the faulty gas pedals, Mazda has been cited for brake defects and General Motors has recalled several Buick and Impala models for safety issues. With all of the defective auto parts that are getting so much press these days, it seems strange that the ones that have been causing the most damage have been in vehicles for many years, sitting dormant until a tragic circumstance evokes it’s defective design. Jaklin Romine experienced one of these deadly auto defects first hand, but has now gained a form of closure as she attained a level of justice in the form of a substantial verdict.

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A pedestrian sustained major injuries in an Orange County car accident after being hit by a vehicle, while walking in a crosswalk. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred at the intersection of Katella Avenue and Meridian Drive in Cypress, the afternoon of August 19, 2011. Officials say the pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. The driver remained at the scene. No arrests were made or citations issued, pending an official investigation.

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A motorcyclist was injured in an Anaheim car accident after he was hit by a vehicle at a street intersection, the afternoon of August 18, 2011. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury crash occurred at the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Orangethorpe Avenue. The man was riding a Suzuki motorcycle when a Toyota Camry struck him. The female driver of the Toyota was not injured. The motorcyclist was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, but the extent of his injuries is not known at this time. An investigation is ongoing.

My heart goes out to the injured victim of this car versus motorcycle accident. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. He will be in my thoughts and prayers.

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The California Department of Public Health has fined a care facility for nursing home neglect. According to an Associated Press news report, a 78-year-old man died at the Orchard-Post Acute Care facility in Whittier after staff members incorrectly inserted a gastrostomy tube into him. The tube apparently did not go all the way to his stomach, stopping instead at the peritoneal cavity. This mistake led to food and medication failing to enter his stomach. He suffered inflammation, respiratory failure and septic shock. He passed away six days after the procedure. The care facility has been fined $75,000 by the California Department of Public Health for the fatal incident.

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Two drivers were injured in an Orange County car accident when a 91-year-old woman veered into oncoming traffic. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the head-on collision occurred at the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Edinger Avenue in Fountain Valley, the evening of August 15, 2011. A 21-year-old Santa Ana man was driving a Ford F-150 as an elderly woman let her Buick Le Sabre cross the center divider and strike his vehicle head-on. The driver of the Buick suffered serious injuries and the driver of the pickup was hospitalized as well. A third vehicle was also involved but that driver was uninjured.

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Esmeralda Ramirez, 24, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident involving a suspected drunk driver, the afternoon of August 14, 2011. According to news reports, the fatal DUI collision occurred at the intersection of Stewart Avenue and Baldwin Park Boulevard in Baldwin Park. The woman was walking with her boyfriend to church, when a 2005 Jeep Laredo driven by 27-year-old Rafael Espinoza Moreno went out of control and struck Ramirez. The Jeep then crashed into a bus bench and another building.

Moreno fled the scene of the crash, but was soon found by officials a couple of blocks away, hiding in bushes. Moreno's blood alcohol level was more than twice the limit of 0.08 percent when he was tested after the crash. Police say he has never had a valid driver's license and has received prior citations for speeding and driving without a license. He now faces drunk driving, hit-and-run, and vehicular manslaughter charges.

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A 46-year-old man was seriously injured in a Huntington Beach car accident when a drunk driver struck his motorcycle. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the DUI crash occurred on Pacific Coast Highway, near Goldenwest Street, in Huntington Beach, the afternoon of August 12, 2011. Police say Jesse Rodriguez, 21, was driving a Chevrolet Silverado pickup in the bike lane to pass slower vehicles when he clipped the Harley-Davidson driven by the victim.

The motorcyclist sustained serious injuries. Rodriguez fled the scene, but authorities were able to track him down and arrest him shortly after the incident. Rodriguez faces several charges including, driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, hit-and-run, and reckless driving.

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A 32-year-old man sustained fatal job injuries after he was electrocuted while working on the roof of a Camarillo home. According to a news report in the Ventura County Star, the man was disassembling a chimney the afternoon of August 11, 2011, at a home in the 2500 block of Paseo Noche, when he touched some overhead wires with a piece of metal. Emergency personnel found the worker lying on the roof and not breathing. His heart had also stopped beating. The man was rushed to a local hospital where he died. An investigation is ongoing.

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Duane Parkison, a 15-year veteran of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, was killed in an Irvine car accident after his bicycle was hit by an SUV. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal bicycle accident occurred the afternoon of August 10, 2011 on Shady Canyon, near Quail Hill Parkway. Police say a Mercedes Benz SUV driven by a 35-year-old woman struck Parkison. The woman and an infant in the SUV were not injured. Officials are still looking into what caused this crash and who was at fault. Anyone who witnessed this fatal collision is asked to contact Irvine police at 949-724-7023.

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Chong Min, 75, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident after he was struck by a vehicle while walking in a crosswalk. According to a news report in the Daily Breeze, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred the night of August 6, 2011 at the intersection of Mesa and Third streets in San Pedro. Officials say Min was walking southbound on Mesa, when he was hit by a white minivan that was traveling west on Third. Min sustained a skull fracture and was pronounced dead in an area hospital. The driver of the minivan did not stop or contact authorities. Anyone with information about this fatal collision is asked to contact LAPD's South Traffic Division at 323-421-2500.

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Three women, Angela Prado, 49, Elda Nava-Mayo, 24, and Sara Flores, 40, were killed in an Orange County car accident after the Ford Excursion SUV in which they were passengers crashed on a freeway exit. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal SUV rollover crash occurred the night of August 8, 2011 on the northbound 5 Freeway at the Beach Boulevard exit in Buena Park. The three female passengers died at the scene while two others, including the 41-year-old driver and an 16-year-old passenger, sustained major injuries and were transported to a local trauma center.

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Dellene Burgeson, 51, was killed and a man is in critical condition following an Orange County car accident involving a head-on collision. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal car crash occurred on West Ball Road at Magnolia Avenue in Anaheim, the night of August 5, 2011. Police say Burgeson was driving west on Ball at a high rate of speed, when her Lincoln vehicle crossed the divider and entered oncoming traffic, before hitting a Mazda. The Mazda's driver sustained major injuries. Burgeson died at the scene. The Lincoln also struck three other moving vehicles and two parked vehicles. Two others sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

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Michael Biel, 51, was killed in a Riverside car accident after he was struck by a vehicle. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the fatal bicycle accident occurred on Rubidoux Boulevard south of 26th Street in Jurupa Valley. Officials say Biel had been riding a bicycle on Rubidoux Boulevard when he was struck by an oncoming truck. Officials are still looking into what caused this fatal crash.

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

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Fifteen people were injured in a Los Angeles car accident involving an adult day care van and a car. According to a City News Service report, the Genesis Adult Day Health Care passenger van collided with a car at the intersection of Wilbur Avenue and Kittridge Street in Tarzana the morning of August 4, 2011. It is unclear at this time what caused the two vehicles to collide. While none of the victims sustained life-threatening injuries, eight of the victims had to be transported to a hospital. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

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A 35-year-old man was killed in a Los Angeles car accident that also resulted in injuries to six other people. According to a City News Service report, the fiery car accident occurred on West Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, the early morning of August 3, 2011.

Officials say the 27-year-old female driver crashed her 2002 Ford Focus into a streetlight along the highway and then a wall, before the vehicle burst into flames. A 35-year-old man died at the scene. The driver and a 15-year-old passenger were airlifted to an area hospital in critical condition. A 10-year-old passenger sustained multiple broken bones while three others, ages 17, 6 and 1, sustained relatively minor injuries. The relationship between the driver and the passengers is not known at this time.

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Edgar Gonzalez, 30, who was working on a construction project at the Hyperion waste water treatment plant sustained fatal job injuries after a 30-foot fall. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Daily News, the accident occurred at the plant on Vista del Mar, near El Segundo, the afternoon of Aug. 2, 2011. The man had been erecting a wall panel at the plant and was trying to secure the top when he fell.

Investigators from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, are looking into the cause of this tragic accident. The man was not a Hyperion employee, but worked for USS Cal Builders, an Orange County-based general contractor. Hyperion officials say this is the first construction-related fatality at that plant since it was first modernized in the 1950s.

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A man was injured in a San Bernardino car accident involving a hit-and-run driver. According to a news report in The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the hit-and-run car accident occurred near the intersection of Baseline Road and Beryl Street in Rancho Cucamonga, the afternoon of July 29, 2011. The injured pedestrian was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Authorities were able to locate the driver responsible for this collision shortly after the accident. The extent of the victim's injuries is not known. It is also not clear if the driver will be charged with leaving the scene of the crash.

My thoughts and prayers are with the man injured in this hit-and-run car accident. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

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Wesley Davis, 23, was killed in an Anaheim car accident after his car was hit by an SUV, the night of July 29, 2011. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal car crash occurred at the intersection of La Palma and Sequoia avenues. Authorities report that Davis was turning left at the intersection when a Ford Explorer SUV struck his Buick. The Buick was sheared in half by the impact and the Explorer overturned. Davis was killed, while a female passenger in the Buick and the male driver of the Explorer were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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