California Injury Blog
Four people died on the night of Jan. 16th after the SUV in which they were traveling veered off a bridge east of San Francisco. According to a news report in the Daily Mail, the vehicle went out of control, veered across all lanes of traffic, collided with a concrete barrier of the bridge and then plummeted 200 feet as it fell over the edge and struck a stationary freight train. All four occupants – Perla Navarro, Kyle Erickson, both 19, and Christopher Mata, 21, and Cecilia Ayala, 22 – were killed. Navarro, who was two months pregnant, was driving the SUV at the time of the crash.
Ongoing Investigation
The moments leading up to the crash were caught on the dashcam video, which shows the Infiniti SUV driving at speed along the Interstate 80 toward the bridge before suddenly losing control and spinning around. A portion of the footage, posted on YouTube, shows the SUV as it loses control, but the video stops before the SUV hits the wall and goes over the side.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating this fatal crash but has said it still doesn’t know precisely what caused it. This is the third collision this year that has seen a car going over the concrete barrier on the same bridge. The CHP is looking for anyone who might have seen this crash. Anyone with information is asked to contact CHP’s Fairfield office at 707-428-2100.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to all the families that have lost their loved ones in this horrific crash. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Unanswered Questions
It is interesting to note that this is the third collision just this year where a vehicle has gone over the concrete barrier at this location. In this particular case, we trust officials are looking into what caused Navarro to lose control of the vehicle. But, we hope there is attention drawn to the concrete barrier or guardrail that failed to prevent the vehicle from dropping down the bridge.
If the guardrail was defective or if a dangerous condition is believed to have existed there, the governmental agency tasked with maintaining the roadway can be held liable for the losses caused by this crash. If a vehicle defect caused the SUV to veer off the roadway, then the manufacturer of the defective auto can also be held liable. An experienced California car accident lawyer will be able to help families in such cases better understand their legal rights and options.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8434617/California-bridge-accident-kills-four-people-include-pregnant-woman-SUV-goes-edge.html