California Injury Blog
Ruben Crummie, 71, was killed in an Inglewood car accident after he was struck by two vehicles. According to a CBS news report, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred the night of February 2, 2012 near the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Hardy Street. Inglewood police say Crummie exited his stalled truck to get gas when he was hit. The first car that hit him stopped, but the second driver fled the scene. Police are hoping that witnesses to the incident will provide them information about the second driver. No arrests have been made pending an official investigation.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Ruben Crummie for their devastating loss. Apparently, this hit-and-run car accident occurred when Crummie was helping his friend move a bed. Please keep his grieving family in your thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person died and three were injured in pedestrian accidents in Inglewood. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 179 fatalities and 4,918 injuries were reported due to pedestrian accidents, during the same year.
Hit-and-Run
Based on this news report, it appears that the first driver who hit Crummie stopped at the scene. But the second driver fled. This driver not only struck and fatally injured Crummie, but also left him lying on the roadway. Appalling! Fleeing the scene of an injury crash is a cowardly, inhumane and irresponsible act, as well as against the law.
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.”
Compensation for Victims’ Families
I trust officials are soon able to apprehend the second driver and bring him or her to justice.
Victims’ families in such cases would be well advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will stay on top of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. A knowledgeable car accident attorney will also be able to inform the family about how their auto insurance policy applies to a hit-and-run crash or to an incident where the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.