California Injury Blog

Published on: April 14, 2011

Hit-and-Run Driver Arrested in Connection with Fatal San Diego Bicycle Accident

By Brian Chase

Police have arrested a 46-year-old man in connection with a hit-and-run car accident in San Diego, which killed 47-year-old James Steven Swarzman the morning of April 11, 2011. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the fatal bicycle accident occurred on North Highway 101 in Encinitas when a Dodge Ram 1500 truck rear-ended Swarzman’s bicycle. He sustained fatal injuries and died from his injuries. Shortly after the deadly collision, Joseph Ricardo Fernandez, 46, informed authorities that he may have been involved and had left the scene of the crash. Investigators linked Fernandez to the fatal accident based on debris at the scene and arrested him on suspicion of felony hit-and-run. Authorities are also looking into whether alcohol was a factor in this fatal car accident.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of James Steven Swarzman. My thoughts and prayers are with them following this tragic San Diego car accident.
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Published on: April 13, 2011

Los Angeles Hit-And-Run Car Accident Causes Injuries

By Brian Chase

A man was injured in a Los Angeles car accident when a car struck him as he crossed the street. According to a City News Service report, the pedestrian accident occurred at South Western Avenue and West 6th Street in Los Angeles early morning on April 12, 2011. The injured victim was left lying in the middle of the road after the driver left the scene of the crash. The search for the driver responsible for this accident is ongoing. No suspect or vehicle description is available at this time.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victim of this hit-and-run car accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery from his injuries.

Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 104 people were killed and 2,716 were injured in Los Angeles pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 214 fatalities and 4,985 injuries reported involving Los Angeles County pedestrian accidents.
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Published on: April 12, 2011

Teen Pedestrian Killed in Los Angeles Car Accident

By Brian Chase

Alice Zhang, 16, was killed in a Los Angeles car accident when a car struck her and a friend as they crossed the street. According to The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred on Duarte Road in Arcadia the evening of April 10, 2011. Officials say the two teenaged girls were crossing the road in a marked crosswalk when a car driven by a 20-year-old man hit them. Zhang was transported to a local hospital where she died from her injuries. Her 16-year-old friend survived, but suffered serious injuries. The driver has not been charged pending an official investigation.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Alice Zhang following this tragic pedestrian accident. My thoughts and prayers are also with the 16-year-old severely injured victim of this crash. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person was killed and 16 were injured in Arcadia pedestrian accidents. During that same year, there were 214 fatalities and 4,985 injuries reported due to Los Angeles County pedestrian accidents.
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Published on: April 11, 2011

Los Angeles Rollover Accident Results in Serious Injuries

By Brian Chase

Three people — identified as Ramiro Castillo, 41, Jose Ruiz, 23, and, Fernando Guzman, 45, were severely injured in a Los Angeles car accident, which officials say, was caused by the driver of an SUV that made an unsafe lane change. According to a news report in the Calabasas Patch, the injury car accident occurred in the eastbound lanes of the 101 Freeway near Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas the evening of April 9, 2011.

California Highway Patrol officials say the driver of a Toyota 4Runner made an unsafe lane change and struck a Dodge Ram pickup truck, which overturned. Castillo, the driver of the pickup, and Ruiz, a passenger, were transported to a regional medical center. Guzman was ejected from the pickup and suffered broken arms and ribs. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this rollover accident — Castillo, Ruiz and Guzman. I wish them all a complete and speedy recovery.
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Published on: April 8, 2011

Head-on Car Accident Injures Two in Lake County

By Brian Chase

A 73-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman were injured in a Lake County car accident involving a head-on collision the afternoon of April 6, 2011. According to a news report in the Lake County News, the serious injury car accident occurred on Highway 29 near Cruickshank Road in Kelseyville. For unknown reasons, the 73-year-old man let his 2001 Chevrolet Corvette veer into oncoming traffic where it crashed head-on into a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer driven by the 50-year-old woman. The driver of the Corvette suffered major injuries and the female driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries. It is unclear if the male driver will be cited for the head-on crash.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this Lake County car accident. I wish them both a complete and speedy recovery.

Lake County Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 12 people were killed and 247 sustained personal injuries in car accidents in the unincorporated areas of Lake County. During the same year, there were 14 fatalities and 292 injuries reported due to Lake County car accidents.
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Published on: April 8, 2011

Nursing Home Abuse Information

By Brian Chase

Nursing home abuse is more common than people would like to believe. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to identify and prove, especially in cases where no relatives reside near the facility housing their loved one. The leading resource to obtain information in reference to nursing home abuse and neglect is nursinghomeabusecenter.org, and concerned parties should visit their site. This comprehensive website is an excellent resource and guide to utilize when searching for information and advice aimed at protecting residents of nursing homes.

Forms of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse is typically categorized by physical, emotional, or financial harm that is placed upon residents of these facilities. Further discussions on each of these forms of abuse are available at nursinghomeabusecenter.org, which provides a plethora of useful information about this subject, and a brief discussion of these is provided here.
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Published on: April 8, 2011

Woman Injured in San Francisco Car Accident Involving Muni Vehicle

By Brian Chase

A woman was injured in a San Francisco car accident when a light rail vehicle rear-ended her car the morning on April 5, 2011. According to a news report in The San Francisco Examiner, the light rail accident occurred at the intersection of 24th and Judah avenues in the Sunset District of San Francisco. The woman sustained injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. There were no passengers on the train. The operator of the light rail vehicle has been placed on non-driving status pending an official investigation.

I’m relieved to hear that the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening. My thoughts and prayers are with the victim of this San Francisco railway accident. I wish her a complete and speedy recovery.

San Francisco Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 35 people were killed and 3,577 were injured in car accidents in San Francisco. The Federal Transit Administration reports that about 15 percent of light rail vehicle injury accidents are caused by workforce behavior and mistakes made by the railway operator.
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Published on: April 6, 2011

Two Injured in San Francisco Area Motorcycle Accident

By Brian Chase

Victor Vaz and Vicky Tschirgi, both 47 years old, were critically injured in a San Francisco area car accident when their Harley Davidson crashed on a highway. According to a news report in The Press Democrat, the serious injury accident occurred on Highway 101 near Petaluma the night of April 3, 2011.

Vaz and Tschirgi were travelling on the same 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle when a big rig collision slowed traffic on the highway. As Vaz was doing about 35 mph through traffic, a vehicle ahead of him attempted to change lanes, but swerved back after its driver spotted the motorcycle. Vaz lost control of his motorcycle. He and his passenger, Tschirgi, were thrown off the motorcycle and sustained critical injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with both Victor Vaz and Vicky Tschirgi following this serious injury accident. I wish them both a complete and speedy recovery.
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Published on: April 5, 2011

Construction Workers Injured after Falling into Trench

By Brian Chase

Two workers sustained injuries on the job at a construction site in Lake Elsinore when they fell into a trench that was 20 feet deep. According to a news report in The Riverside Press Enterprise, the construction site accident occurred near Auto Center and Diamond drives the afternoon of April 4, 2011. Both men were able to get out of the trench. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries, but are expected to survive. The cause of this accident is under investigation.

My heart goes out to these two injured construction workers. It is indeed fortunate that the trench did not cave in. This could have been a fatal accident. I wish them both the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
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Published on: April 4, 2011

Long Beach DUI Collision Proves Fatal

By Brian Chase

Dana Acosta, 22, was killed in a Long Beach car accident, which police say, involved a drunk driver. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal DUI collision occurred near Atlantic Avenue and Wardlow Road in Long Beach the night of April 1, 2011. Police say 29-year-old Heriberto Cervantes crashed his 1991 Toyota Camry into a palm tree after running a red light. He lost control of his vehicle attempting to avoid a 2005 Toyota Scion at the intersection. Acosta, a passenger in the Camry, suffered fatal injuries. Cervantes faces felony gross vehicular manslaughter and felony drunk driving charges.

My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Dana Acosta following this tragic DUI collision. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), nine people were killed and 186 were injured in Long Beach DUI collisions. During the same year, in Los Angeles County, there were 258 fatalities and 4,832 injuries reported involving alcohol-related crashes.
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