One person was killed and two others were injured in a Riverside car accident after their Toyota Prius was rear-ended at a Coachella intersection, by a Ford pickup truck. The Desert Sun identifies the two injured victims as 28-year-old Chris Vielow, and 29-year-old Oliver Kohlbacher. Officials say the deadly car accident happened the afternoon of March 29, 2010 on the northbound 86 Expressway at Airport Boulevard. Amber Line, the 42-year-old driver of the pickup truck, struck the Toyota from behind when it was stopped at the intersection. A passenger in the Prius was pronounced dead at the scene while Vielow and Kohlbacher were treated for unknown injuries.

My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved the deceased victim. I also hope Vielow and Kohlbacher did not suffer major injuries and wish them both the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep the victims and their families in your prayers.

Car Accident Statistics

There were seven fatalities and 68 injuries involving car accidents in Coachella, according to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In Riverside County as a whole, car accidents claimed 220 lives and injured 8,561 people in 2008.

What Caused This Accident?

Based on this news report, the driver of the pickup truck, Line, may have been at fault here. There are many questions here that need to be answered still. Was Line impaired or distracted right before the collision? Was the driver inattentive? Was she speeding and did she fail to stop her vehicle in time to avoid the collision? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine exactly what happened here.

In such cases, injured victims or families of deceased victims would be well-advised to contact a skilled Riverside personal injury attorney, who will stay on top of the official investigation and advise them about their legal rights and options.

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.