Fatal Accident in Red Bluff
In the early hours of Saturday, December 25, 2016, three vehicles were in an auto accident involving a wrong-way driver in Red Bluff.
What Happened
The accident occurred on Interstate 5 north of Adobe Road in Red Bluff. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) indicated that a 79-year-old man from Tennessee was traveling on Interstate 5 when for unknown reasons he started driving the wrong way on the interstate. In a series of accidents, the man first drove his Nissan Juke into a bridge abutment and continued to travel east, veering into the third lane of traffic where he collided with a 2007 Toyota SUV, which was operated by Patrick Hugh Moran, a 59-year-old man from Woodland. The driver of the Nissan then continued west and hit a 2002 Ford pickup truck that was being operated by Robert Lankford Jr. a 41-year-old man from Redding.
Were There Injuries?
The driver and passenger of the Toyota driven by Moran and the driver of the pick-up truck all suffered injuries. They were transported to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital in Red Bluff for treatment. Sadly, the 79-year-old Tennessee man lost his life.
Driving Under the Influence
While officials were doing their initial investigation at the scene they learned that Robert Lankford Jr. was driving under the influence at the time of the accident. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence following his treatment at the hospital. His actions of being under the influence did not cause the crash, officials reported.
Wrong-Way Driving
Accidents that include a wrong-way driver are very dangerous. Statistics released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) show that nearly 370 motorists or passengers are killed every year due to wrong-way drivers. Most wrong-way driving involved accidents are head-on collisions that occur at a very high rate of speed. NTSB reports also show that wrong-way collisions have a much higher probability of being fatal. Drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol tend to be the cause of the majority of wrong-way collisions.
Red Bluff Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Red Bluff car accident lawyer. If you or your loved one has suffered serious injuries in an auto accident due to another driver’s negligent actions, please call me at (530) 392-9400 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
I have been helping individuals and families with their wrongful death and personal injury claims for over three decades.
Browse through my previous client reviews on Yelp, Google, and Avvo (the attorney rating website).
I am a Million Dollar Advocate in California. Members of the forum are top-ranked US trial attorneys who have obtained verdicts in excess of 1 Million Dollars.
Take a look at my Past Verdicts and Settlements here.
Founder of www.autoaccident.com, Northern California’s leading website for personal injury and auto accident information.
Image Attribution: Wikimedia Commons
:RTC bw