California Injury Blog
An alleged street racer lost control of his classic Mustang and caused a car accident with an SUV in Monrovia shearing the Mustang in half and sending both drivers to hospitals with major injuries. According to a KTLA news report, the violent crash occurred the afternoon of April 4 in the 1900 block of South Myrtle Avenue just south of Duarte Road.
Excessive Speed was a Factor
Police said a witness reported seeing two cars racing south on Myrtle. One of them was described as a classic Ford Mustang and the other was described by witnesses as a red vehicle, possibly a Chevy Camaro. Both vehicles were traveling at high speeds when the driver of the Mustang lost control at a curve in the roadway. Police said the driver of the Mustang was traveling at such a high rate of speed that he was not able to negotiate the curve and veered into northbound lanes.
The driver of the northbound SUV saw the Mustang headed toward him and was able to veer away avoiding a head-on collision but, the two vehicles still collided. The Mustang ended up being split in half and its driver was ejected on to the roadway. He was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. The SUV’s driver also sustained major injuries, but he is expected to survive.
The driver of the Mustang will likely face felony street racing and reckless driving charges, police said. Investigators are looking for those who may have seen the collision and video footage of the crash as well as the other vehicle that was involved in the race, which did not stay at the scene. Anyone with more information is asked to contact Monrovia police at 626-256-8000.
Laws and Liability Issues
Racing on a public roadway is not only extremely dangerous, but it is also illegal. California Vehicle Code section 23109 (a) states: “A person shall not engage in a motor vehicle speed contest on a highway. As used in this section, a motor vehicle speed contest includes a motor vehicle race against another vehicle, a clock, or other timing device.” California Vehicle Code Section 22350 (Basic Speed Law) states: “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic and on surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.”
The Greater Los Angeles region already has a serious problem with street-racing. With the coronavirus closures, which have left our roadways wide open, unfortunately, we might see more of these incidents where individuals attempt to race on public roadways. In such cases, injured victims can seek compensation from the at-fault parties for damages including medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress. An experienced Los Angeles car accident lawyer who has a strong record of holding negligent drivers accountable will be able to fight for victims’ rights and help them secure maximum compensation for their losses.
Source: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/street-racing-suspected-in-violent-monrovia-crash/