California Injury Blog
Los Angeles Fatal Pedestrian Hit-and-Run Accident
The victim of a hit-and-run pedestrian accident in Van Nuys has been identified as 34-year-old Bobby Ray Rowe, a homeless man in the area. According to a CBS News report, Rowe, who had only one leg, was found dead behind a Bank of America branch near Haynes Street in Van Nuys on March 18, 2009. The coroner’s office identified him two days later. Los Angeles police found him lying half on the street and half on the sidewalk and believe Rowe was the victim of a hit-and-run crash. Officials are asking for the public’s help in finding the driver who struck and killed Bobby Ray Rowe and fled the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call the Valley Traffic Division at 1-818-644-8010.
My heart goes out to everybody who knew and loved Bobby Ray Rowe. It is appalling that a driver would not only strike anyone, let alone a disabled man, but leave him lying on the street to die. I offer my deepest sympathies to Rowe’s family and friends. I hope police find this hit-and-run driver and prosecute him or her to the fullest extent of the law.
Leaving the scene of an auto accident is against the law in California. If you are a driver and you hit someone, whether a vehicle or a pedestrian, you are required by law to stop. If it is an injury accident and you are not injured, you are required to try and help the injured victim – even if it is something as simple as calling 911. You are required to stop irrespective of whether or not the accident was your fault. If the accident is not your fault and you leave the scene of an accident, you could still face criminal hit-and-run charges.
California Vehicle Code section 20001 (a) states: “The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident.”
It is in the best interest of the victims and their families to consult with an experienced Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney who will go after the negligent parties and get them the justice and compensation they deserve. A skilled Los Angeles personal injury attorney will also be able to look at other factors, such as a dangerous roadway or intersection that may have played a part in this crash.