Vacaville Crash Leads to Police Pursuit in Fairfield
A strange traffic incident occurred on Friday, July 30, 2021. It began in Vacaville, California, and ended with the arrest of a FedEx driver in nearby Cordelia.
According to Vacaville police, the series of events began at around 2:20 p.m., when a witness observed the driver of a FedEx truck operating the vehicle recklessly at Merchant Street and Alamo Drive. The FedEx truck then collided with another vehicle before continuing westbound on Interstate 80. The witness to the reckless driving and the crash called the police to report their observations.
Based on the phone call from the witness, police in Fairfield were notified that an errant commercial truck was headed toward their area. Fairfield police officers were able to locate the truck on Travis Boulevard. They tried to make the driver pull over, but he ignored the officers. A pursuit was then initiated.
The FedEx truck ended up taking a Cordelia exit; specifically, Green Valley Road. The driver then abandoned the vehicle on Silverado Drive. Officers initiated a short foot pursuit, after which the driver was apprehended and arrested.
FedEx Driver Identified and Arrested
The FedEx driver was later identified as 35-year-old Jason Robinson. He was booked into Solano County Jail and charged with a number of violations, including failure to yield and hit-and-run. The truck was returned to a FedEx facility.
Accidents Caused by FedEx Drivers
Given the facts that have been released, it sounds like the FedEx driver caused a crash in Vacaville. The person he hit may have been injured, and their car may have been damaged. Who would be financially responsible for paying for those damages?
Since Mr. Robinson was driving a FedEx truck, we will make the assumption that he was an employee and on the clock for the company at the time of his hit-and-run. If that assumption holds true (and he had not stolen the FedEx truck, for example), the injured driver would be able to seek financial compensation from FedEx. Employers are generally held responsible for the actions of their on-the-clock employees.
Watch the YouTube video. While unusual, Friday’s accident involving a FedEx driver is not completely unheard of. YouTube offers several videos of drivers for the company exhibiting reckless behavior on the road. Below is one example.
Commercial Drivers and Their DMV Records
This particular accident is an unusual example of a crash involving a commercial vehicle. It is not often that we see reckless and criminal driving behavior exhibited by a person driving a vehicle that is so easily recognizable. In this instance, it seems as though Mr. Robinson was exhibiting excessively reckless behavior. That leads us to the question of what his driving record looked like at the time he was hired by FedEx. It is the responsibility of a company that hires drivers to do their due diligence to ensure that their employees operate their company vehicles safely. To fail to investigate an employee’s prior driving record is negligent. Ignoring a bad driving record is also negligent.
It may have been that FedEx did research Mr. Robinson’s DMV record at the time he was hired and found it to be sparkling clean. Even if his behavior on Friday was an aberration, FedEx would, in all likelihood, still be determined to be financially responsible for the damages caused by their employee’s behavior.
Fairfield Personal Injury Attorney
Hello, and thank you for reading. I’m Ed Smith, a Fairfield, California personal injury attorney. Car accidents can cause havoc in our lives. There are financial repercussions to deal with, insurance adjusters to battle, and if you suffered serious injuries, all of that stress can delay your healing. Let our experienced injury lawyers help. We have assisted injured Fairfield residents for more than 38 years. Call us at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400.
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-van-fedex-delivery-transport-438029/
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