Northern California Accident Attorney Blog

CONCORD - The driver of a Subaru Forrester hatchback died Saturday night when her vehicle crashed into a sound barrier in Concord Saturday night, the Oakland Tribune reported. The accident occurred at about 9:20 p.m. on Saturday, February 12, 2011, on Highway 4 near the on-ramp to southbound Interstate Highway 680. The driver, Shanna Meyers, 27, of Martinez, was taken to John Muir Medical Center where she died about an hour after the accident. Based on the news reports, the cause of the accident is unclear. Neither drugs or alcohol were believed to be a factor in the crash. The cause of the Concord car accident remains under investigation.

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An Oakdale couple suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident in Calaveras County on Monday afternoon, ThePineTree.net reported. The collision occurred on Highway 4 at Ponderosa Road in the Vallecito area at about 3:45 p.m.. According to the CHP, Kenneth Dray, 61, and Marjorie Dray, 48, were riding their 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle westbound at approximately 55 mph approaching Ponderosa. Brandon Badgley, 17, of Mi Wuk Village, was driving a 1995 Chevrolet pickup truck eastbound on Highway 4 when he slowed at the intersection to turn left onto Ponderosa. He apparently failed to yield to the right-of-way of Kenneth Dray's Harley Davidson and turned into the path of the motorcycle. The collision caused both riders of the motorcycle to be fully ejected simultaneously. Both Kenneth Dray and Marjorie Dray were seriously injured and taken to Mark Twain St. Joseph's Hospital in San Andrea. Brandon Badgley was not injured.

Cause of the Calaveras County Motorcycle Accident

The cause of the major injury motorcycle crash remains under investigation by the CHP. However, if news reports are accurate, this September 27th Calaveras County motorcycle crash was likely caused by the driver of the pickup truck, who apparently failed to yield to the right-of-way of the Harley Davidson. The law pertaining to left turns is stated in California Vehicle Code Section 21801: "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

Left-Turn Motorcycle Accidents

The left-turn accident is a common type of motorcycle accident caused by the driver of a passenger vehicle. This type of motorcycle accident is especially common involving young, inexperienced drivers who only look for passenger vehicles and negligently fail to look for motorcyclists and yield to their right-of-way. Earlier this month, a 26-year-old Butte County man suffered severe injuries in a left-turn motorcycle accident in Paradise caused by a 17-year-old driver. In July, a Twain Harte motorcyclist suffered serious injuries in a left-turn motorcycle accident in Copperopolis caused by a 19-year-old driver.

Personal Injury Liability Issues

In situations such as this September 27th Highway 4 motorcycle crash, the family members of the injured victims would be well-advised to consult an experienced and knowledgeable northern California motorcycle accident attorney. An attorney who has represented numerous victims of left-turn motorcycle accidents can advise the victims and their families of their best course of action to protect their legal rights and recover the maximum financial compensation for their injuries sustained in this accident, including full and fair compensation for medical care expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering and other related damages.

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The CHP is investigating an accident that killed a pedestrian early Tuesday morning in Contra Costa County. The accident was reported in the eastbound lanes of Highway 4 near Somersville Road, at about 1:10 a.m. The victim was identified as Ryan David Sears, 26, of Antioch. According to the Contra Costa Times, The 51-year-old driver of the vehicle that struck him contacted the CHP and reported that something from the right hand shoulder of the road appeared to strike his pickup truck. The fatal pedestrian accident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information about this July 6th Highway 4 accident may contact the California Highway Patrol at (800)TELL-CHP or the Contra Costa area field office at (925)646-4980.

Cause of the Fatal Pedestrian Accident

Based on the limited information in news reports, it is not clear why this accident occurred. At this point, there are more questions than answers. Did Sears walk into the path of the pickup truck, or did the pickup truck go off the road and strike Sears? How fast was the pickup truck going when it hit Sears? The CHP stated that there was evidence that Sears had consumed alcohol before his death, although it was not clear what that evidence was.

Pedestrian Accident Wrongful Death Liability

If the pickup truck driver is determined to have caused or contributed this accident, he may be liable for the death of David Sears. While this pedestrian accident remains under investigation, the family members of the victim would be well-advised to speak with a California wrongful death attorney about the incident and the unique legal issues involved. An experienced lawyer can help the victim's family understand their legal rights, options and responsibilities, as well as advise them of their best course of action to protect their rights going forward.

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The California Highway Patrol is seeking the driver of a pickup truck, who is believed to have made an unsafe lane change that caused a collision that killed two people on a motorcycle late Tuesday afternoon in Contra Costa County. According to news reports, the crash occurred at about 4:40 p.m. on the eastbound Highway 4 Bypass, near Lone Tree Way.

The driver of a black Ford F-250, which was towing a boat, was reportedly tailgating a silver Honda Civic going westbound, when the driver of the truck made an unsafe lane change. The Honda Civic swerved or was forced into oncoming traffic, where it collided head-on with an eastbound blue Harley Davidson Road King.

The male driver of the motorcycle died at the scene, and the female passenger died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Authorities say both of the victims, who were not identified, were wearing helmets. The teenage driver of the Honda Civic suffered serious injuries, but is expected to survive.

Hopefully, for the sake of all parties involved, the driver of the third vehicle will be located or come forward. Authorities are currently treating the accident as a hit-and-run, but that status could change pending the investigation. The truck involved in this accident was believed to be a newer black Ford F-250 with a specialized license plate that was pulling a black and white wakeboard style boat. Anyone with information about the accident or the driver of the black Ford F-250 is asked to contact authorities at 1-800-TELL-CHP. Callers may remain anonymous.

According to Mercury News, the June 15th collision was the fourth fatality and the second in two months on the bypass between Antioch and Brentwood since the route began opening in stages eight years ago.

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