Four people were tragically killed early Sunday morning in a fiery head-on collision on Highway 99 west of Oroville, the CHP reported. According to news reports, Ryan Finnerty, 21, of Roseville was driving southbound in a 2006 Dodge Dakota pickup on State Route 99, near State Route 62. At the same time, around 6 a.m. Sunday, Rodrigo Ramirez, 41, of Live Oak, was driving northbound on State Route 99. For reasons still under investigation, Finnerty reportedly swerved into oncoming traffic and struck Ramirez's Ford Explorer head-on. Both vehicles were estimated to be travelling about 60 miles per hour when they collided. The impact started a fire in Finnerty's truck that spread to the Explorer when the gas tank exploded. Bystanders pulled Finnerty from his car and an 11-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man from the Explorer, all of whom suffered major injuries. When Cal Fire crews distinguished the fire, they found four bodies in the Explorer. The victims were identified as Rodrigo Ramirez, Gustavo Martinez, Gabriella Rosas and Rigoberto Martinez, all of Live Oak.
Car Accidents and Wrongful Death Liability
The cause of this multi-fatality accident in Butte County remains under investigation. Based on the limited information provided in news reports, it is not known why the driver of the Dodge pickup swerved into oncoming traffic and collided with the Ford Explorer. Hopefully, the investigation will yield answers as to exactly what happened and why. If it is determined that the driver of the Dodge is responsible for causing this accident, he may be liable for the wrongful deaths of the four victims in the Ford Explorer, as well as the two people who suffered major injuries. In situations such as this one, while the cause of an accident is still under investigation, the family members of the victims may benefit from contacting an experienced northern California car accident attorney. A skilled lawyer who understands the unique legal issues of multiple fatality accidents on state highways can help the victims' families protect their legal rights to hold the driver - or whoever was responsible for this accident - financially accountable for the devastation that this accident caused.
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