Vehicle Reportedly Forced Off the Road at Greenback Lane Intersection
A hit-and-run crash occurred in Orangevale on July 18 that left at least one person injured. The accident happened at the intersection of Greenback Lane and Chestnut Avenue around 9:30 in the morning. Paramedics with the Sacramento Fire Department were summoned to the accident scene to assess those who were injured, but no further information was given on whether anyone was transported to a hospital.
Details of the Hit-and-Run Crash
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that they were called to the scene of an accident involving a vehicle that struck a pole. According to the incident report, another vehicle was driving recklessly before the crash and forced the Jetta off the road where it struck the pole. Then, the vehicle that caused the accident left the scene. The CHP is investigating the incident to determine exactly what happened and to locate the driver involved in the hit-and-run crash.
Accidents in California That Involve a Fleeing Driver
An accident where the driver flees the scene can be a serious offense in California, where those involved in a collision are required to remain at the scene and exchange information. If no one was injured in the collision and only involved property damage, it is charged as a misdemeanor, resulting in a heavy fine and jail time. Fleeing the scene of an accident that resulted in a serious injury or fatality can be charged as a felony, which is much more serious. Some of the reasons a driver might flee the scene of an accident include:
- The vehicle registration has expired.
- The driver’s license has been suspended or revoked.
- Distracted driving is a major reason for all types of traffic accidents. Because the driver’s attention is focused elsewhere instead of on the task at hand, it only takes a few seconds to become involved in a serious accident.
- The driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- The driver panics and flees the scene.
- The vehicle was stolen.
How a Hit-and-Run Driver Is Located
In some instances, there is a good description of the vehicle, and it is known what direction the driver is going, so police can catch up with them. By conducting an investigation into the accident, we have successfully located many hit-and-run drivers through the collection of evidence. The way we do this includes:
- Our investigators go to the site of the crash to gather evidence such as metal parts and paint smears that can tell us what make and model the car was.
- Accident reconstruction is performed to show which driver was at fault.
- The investigators also interview any witnesses to the hit-and-run. In some cases, a witness captured the accident on a cell phone. In others, someone may recall at least part of the license plate number or be able to identify the vehicle or describe the driver.
- Area surveillance cameras are checked to see if the accident was captured.
Using Insurance to Pay for an Accident Injury
Those who buy automobile insurance in California are always offered an add-on policy to cover accidents involving people who are uninsured/underinsured. If the injured party has this add-on, they can use it to pay for their accident injuries. If they don’t have this add-on policy, but another family member in the household does, that can be used instead. It does not affect the rates in the future.
Orangevale Car Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, an Orangevale car accident lawyer. When another driver caused your injuries, we may be able to help you obtain compensation. Give us a call at (916) 921-6400 or from long-distance at (800) 404-5400. An online contact form is available also.
Our injury attorneys have assisted many Orangevale residents in obtaining the compensation they deserve after they’ve been injured in a traffic accident, by a defective product, in cases involving wrongful death and others since 1982.
Additional information about our law firm can be found at the links that follow:
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Image credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-accident-broken-glass-splatter-337764/
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