One person was killed and two others, all from Los Angeles, were injured in a Fresno car accident after their van crashed on the Interstate 5, the morning of July 27, 2010. According to a news report in The Fresno Bee, the accident, which happened near Coalinga, injured the driver, Jimmy Sanpakit, 68, of Arleta, and another passenger, Kuangrudee Kla-harn, 71, of Van Nuys. Their van was northbound on the freeway, close to Highway 145, when a tread separated from one of the tires. The driver lost control of the vehicle. A 68-year-old male passenger from North Hollywood sustained fatal injuries in this crash. His identity has not yet been released. An investigation is ongoing. Read full story »

A car accident caused by an old bicycle that was abandoned on Highway 101 proved fatal for 44-year-old Tonia Marie Evans, The Willits News reports. California Highway Patrol officials say that the fatal car accident occurred when a 2001 Subaru driven by Saskia Martin, 37, swerved into opposing lanes of traffic while trying to avoid the bicycle in traffic lanes and struck the Toyota 4Runner SUV driven by Evans head-on. Evans was pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband, Allen Evans, 52, and Martin escaped with minor injuries. Read full story »

Tonia Marie Evans, 44, was killed in a July 21, 2010 car accident on Highway 101 after another vehicle collided head-on with hers. According to a report in The Willits News, Evans was driving a 1995 Toyota 4Runner south on the highway when a 2001 Subaru driven by 37-year-old Saskia Martin swerved into the southbound lanes into the path of the 4Runner. California Highway Patrol officials said the head-on collision caused the Toyota SUV to roll over. Martin and Tonia Evans' husband, 52-year-old Allen Evans, sustained minor injuries. However, Tonia Evans died at the scene.

Martin told officials that she was in the slow lane of Highway 101 behind a big rig, when she attempted to pass it. Just as she did so, she spotted an abandoned bicycle in her lane and braked. Martin said it was then that she lost control of the Subaru and entered opposing lanes of traffic. CHP officers took the bicycle off freeway lanes. An investigation is ongoing.

The Result of Roadway Debris?

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Tonia Marie Evans for their tragic, heartbreaking and untimely loss. This grieving family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Based on this news report, it appears that this tragic accident may have occurred as a result of someone dropping the bicycle in traffic lanes. The California State Department of Transportation estimates that 140,000 cubic yards of debris is dumped on California's roadways each year. In California, roadway debris has caused 155 traffic accident deaths and numerous catastrophic injuries between 2006 and 2008.

Laws and Liability Issues

California law prohibits anyone from throwing or dumping matter on the highway. California Vehicle Code section 23112 (a) states: "No person shall throw or deposit, nor shall the registered owner or the driver, if such owner is not then present in the vehicle, aid or abet in the throwing or depositing upon any highway any bottle, can, garbage, glass, nail, offal, paper, wire, any substance likely to injure or damage traffic using the highway, or any noisome, nauseous, or offensive matter of any kind."

In such cases where deadly crashes are caused by roadway debris, the person or entities that were responsible for dropping the debris on the roadway can be held liable for the accidents and resulting injuries or deaths. Individuals who are injured in such car accidents would be well-advised to consult with an experienced California personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled roadway debris cases. A skilled car accident lawyer should inform victims and their families how their car insurance policy will apply to such roadway accidents.

Have you ever had a close call on the roadway as a result of debris?

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.

A bicyclist was injured in a San Diego car accident the morning of July 28, 2010, 10news reports. San Diego County Sheriff's officials said the injury collision occurred at the intersection of Imperial Beach Boulevard and Florence Street. The injured bicyclist was transported to an area hospital. The extent of the bicyclist's injuries is not known. An investigation is ongoing. Read full story »

A Los Angeles car accident the morning of July 25, 2010 proved fatal for a 44-year-old man, The Orange County Register reports. The victim was the driver of a minivan who had crashed his 2004 Mazda into a guardrail on the right shoulder of the 405 Freeway in Long Beach, after he fell asleep at the wheel. It was then that a 46-year-old Huntington Beach man driving a 2004 Ford SUV slammed into the disabled vehicle. The driver of the minivan was killed and his 37-year-old female passenger sustained moderate injuries. Officials say the driver of the Ford SUV failed to see the disabled vehicle in time because he was adjusting his radio at the time and was distracted. Read full story »

A motorcycle accident in Kern County the night of July 12, 2010 resulted in the death of 22-year-old Steven Mason, the Taft Midway Driller reports. The fatal crash happened on Kern Street at Eighth Street when Mason, who was riding a Honda motorcycle, collided with a car that was turning left from Eighth to Kern Street. Mason sustained fatal injuries and died at an area medical center. Read full story »

A DUI collision in Reseda claimed the life of 51-year-old Chandrika De Silva and seriously injured her 5-year-old grandson, Sahan. The Los Angeles Daily News reports that the fatal crash occurred the morning of July 18, 2010 when 22-year-old Richard Albert Buitron struck Chandrika and the family's Toyota Prius parked partially in their home's driveway. Chandrika died at the scene while Sahan was taken to a hospital for treatment of a concussion and other injuries. Sahan was ejected from the vehicle although he was strapped in a booster seat. Read full story »

A car accident in Los Angeles killed one and injured several others after a suspected drunk driver triggered a chain reaction crash in La Puente the night of July 13, 2010. According to a news report in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the deadly accident happened close to Stimson and Central avenues, when a driver traveling at a high rate of speed, lost control and initiated the collisions. The driver of the first vehicle struck was pronounced dead and three others in the car sustained moderate to serious injuries. An investigation is ongoing. But police suspect the involvement of alcohol or drugs in this crash. Read full story »

A DUI collision in Folsom resulted in injuries to three teens, all minors. KCRA News reports that the injury collision happened the night of June 7, 2010 when the 17-year-old driver of a Ford Explorer SUV lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway and crashed. Officials believe drugs and/or alcohol were involved. The teen driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI and is being held by authorities. Read full story »

A woman who was killed in a DUI collision in Tulare County the night of July 1, 2010, has been identified as 36-year-old Rocio Martinez Lopez. The Fresno Bee reports that the fatal car crash occurred on Highway 190 at Road 152 in Porterville, when a suspected drunk driver ran a stop sign and struck her Honda Civic. The driver of the other vehicle, a 1998 Ford F-150 pickup truck, was driving south on Road 152. He was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI. Jose Corrales-Delgado, a 29-year-old passenger in the truck, sustained major injuries in this crash and was hospitalized. Read full story »