Three helicopters evacuate victims from California accident

Six pedestrians were struck, and one was killed, when a 65-year-old man drove his Nissan sedan onto the sidewalk in the 3600 block of Sonoma Boulevard in Vallejo. Three helicopters descended on the scene to transport victims. Two of them were a 4-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy, who were hurt alongside their mother.

A traffic sergeant from the police department said that the northbound car initially crashed against a bus stop and injured a 50-year-old man. Then the driver hit a telephone pole before swerving into a group of five pedestrians, composed of three women and the two children. A 40-year-old woman was declared dead at the scene. She had been dragged beneath the car along with another victim. The police sergeant said that a tow truck driver who happened to be on the street helped get the car off the two people.

Rescue workers rushed the other injured people to area hospitals. Their conditions ranged from serious to critical. The police sergeant expressed the opinion that some of them might not survive. Police detained the driver for a medical assessment, suspecting intoxication.

A severe California accident like this one illustrates the catastrophic injuries that can be imposed when a vehicle strikes pedestrians. A pedestrian injured by a car might be able to make the case that the driver failed to operate a vehicle safely, especially if the injured person occupied a space specifically for foot traffic. Discussing the situation with an attorney could help to determine if the evidence could support a personal injury lawsuit. If negligence could be proven against the driver, compensation for medical bills, lost income and other damages might be awarded.

Source: KRON 4, “Six pedestrians involved in deadly Vallejo accident; intoxication may have been a factor“, Annie Andersen, June 19, 2015