Northern California Accident Attorney Blog

MENDOCINO COUNTY - A 65-year-old Calistoga man was seriously injured Sunday afternoon after the motorcycle he was riding collided with a pickup truck, the Press Democrat reported. The accident was reported at about 12:20 p.m. just south of Hopland. The victim, Randall Gremp, was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries. Further details about the cause of the September 25th Mendocino County motorcycle accident were not available; the cause of the collision remains under investigation.

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MENDOCINO COUNTY - A 20-year-old McKinleyville woman was tragically killed Tuesday after the vehicle she was riding in overturned and landed in the south fork of the Eel River in Leggett, the Ukiah Daily Journal reported. The accident occurred at about 10:30 p.m. on May 17, 2011, on Highway 101, about a quarter mile south of the Jitney Gulch Bridge. The victim, Amanda Sue Klemm, was a passenger in a 1994 Ford Ranger pickup truck driven by Noah Joseph Carter, 19, of Eureka. According to news accounts, it was raining heavily when the driver negotiated a left-hand-curve at an "unsafe" speed. Carter lost control and the truck overturned and ended up 400 feet down an embankment in the Eel River. Carter was able to escape the sinking truck with moderate injuries, but Klemm died at the scene of the Mendocino County car accident. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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Less than a week after a pedestrian was killed in a Willits crosswalk, another person has been struck in a local crosswalk in Willits. Fortunately, the victim, Kimberly Doe Verville, 47, of Willits, is expected to recover. She was struck by a vehicle on Thursday, December 9, 2010, at the intersection of West Valley Street and Main Street. According to the Willits News, the driver of the pickup truck, Jeffrey Paul Runey, Jr., 36, of Willits, had stopped at the intersection. He told police that he allowed his vehicle to pull forward while he was looking back. He struck Verville and knocked her to the ground. One of the wheels of Runey's pickup truck ran over Verville's ankle. Runey stopped at the scene of the crash. Verville was taken by ambulance to Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital.

Pedestrian Accident Injury Liability

The cause of this December 9th Mendocino County pedestrian accident remains under investigation, and police have not released the official cause of the accident, although it sounds as though the driver of the pickup truck may be responsible. After any pedestrian accident occurring in a marked crosswalk, injured victims or their family members would likely benefit from speaking to a knowledgeable northern California pedestrian accident attorney. An attorney can review the accident and advise the victim of her rights to pursue compensation for her injuries, including medical care treatment expenses, lost earnings or wages, pain and suffering, and other related damages.

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A 65-year-old man from British Columbia, Canada died Sunday night, after he was struck by a Acura sedan on Main Street in Willits, the Ukiah Daily Journal reported. The accident occurred at about 8:45 p.m. in the 1300 block of South Main Street. The victim, Willey Kurz, was in the crosswalk when he was hit by the Acura, driven by Aaron Dalkse, of Willits. Kurz was taken to Howard Memorial Hospital, where he died of his injuries. Dalske reportedly suffered minor injuries.

Anyone with relevant information about this accident is urged to contact the Willits Police Department Sgt. Jake Donahue at (707) 459-6122.

Cause of the Fatal Pedestrian Accident

The cause of fatal Willits accident remains under investigation by the Willits Police Department. Based on the news reports, it appears that the driver of the Acura may be responsible for this accident, if he did indeed fail to yield to the right of way of the pedestrian. Under California Vehicle Code Section 21950: "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection..."

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A 20-year-old Willits woman was seriously injured Sunday afternoon in a crash on Highway 101 north of Laytonville, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported. The July 18th Mendocino County accident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. A northbound 2003 Honda Civic driven by Kayla Chesser, 21, of Willits was travelling at a high rate of speed when it drifted across Highway 101 and narrowly missed crashing into another vehicle. The Honda went off the road, and was briefly airborne before it overturned multiple times down an embankment.

The front seat passenger, Misty Duran, 20, who was wearing a seatbelt, suffered a broken back, broken pelvis, broken nose and other injuries. She was airlifted to Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits. Kayla Chesser, the driver, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. She suffered only minor injuries in the crash. The CHP is investigating the cause of the crash.

Liability When Drunk Drivers Injure Passengers

In situations such as this one, the family members of a passenger victim of a drunk driving accident are well-advised to contact an experienced Mendocino County drunk driving accident victim lawyer who can help them protect their rights. In addition to criminal charges for drunken driving causing injury to others, the driver may be liable for her passenger's injuries, including medical expenses, lost earnings related to an accident, and compensation for pain and suffering.

Advocates for Victims of Drunk Driving Crashes

At Estey Bomberger, we take drunk driving seriously, and believe that accidents caused by drunk drivers are 100% preventable. We are committed to helping victims of drunken driving accidents recover maximum, full and fair compensation for injuries sustained as a result of a drunk driving accident. Our DUI accident victim attorneys proudly support MADD and other organizations dedicated to stopping the epidemic of drunk driving in California. Visit our website, stop-drunk-driving.com, for more information about how you can help end drunk driving in your community.

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