Two Killed on Highway 80
During the early morning hours of September 12, 2021, two men were killed when they exited their vehicles to have an argument on Highway 80 in Berkeley.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The following day, representatives from the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau identified both men. One of them was a Hercules resident, 46-year-old Michael Bernardo. The other, 28-year-old Keandre Allums, was from San Pablo. Mr. Allums had been driving a Chevy Malibu, and Mr. Bernardo had been operating a Dodge Durango SUV. The men had been involved in a relatively minor crash at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. The collision occurred in the eastbound lanes of I-80 in the vicinity of University Avenue, according to authorities.
Following the crash, the two men exited their vehicles and began arguing. A female passenger that had been in one of the vehicles also got involved in the verbal altercation, CHP officials reported. The argument took place within lanes of traffic on I-80. A Mini Cooper that was traveling on the highway swerved to avoid the crashed vehicles in the roadway and struck the two men and the woman who were standing outside of the vehicles.
According to the CHP, both men died at the scene. The female appeared to have been struck by debris. She was transported from the scene by ambulance and was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Accident Investigation
The driver of the Mini Cooper that struck the men stayed at the scene and cooperated with authorities. CHP has revealed that neither drugs nor alcohol appears to have been a factor in the crash.
Four lanes of traffic on Interstate 80 were closed for over an hour while the scene was analyzed and cleared.
Lessons from the Tragedy
The CHP took the opportunity following the tragic event to remind drivers that get into collisions to first move their vehicles to an area of safety before they exit their vehicles. On the freeway, this is usually the right shoulder, as far away from traffic as possible. If the crash occurs close to an exit and both vehicles are driveable, you can move to a nearby parking lot to exchange information. If your vehicle is disabled in traffic, CHP advises motorists to turn on the hazard lights, stay in the vehicle with their seatbelt secured, and call 911.
Two Lives Unnecessarily Lost
This avoidable tragedy leaves two families mourning the loss of a loved one. The family of Keandre Allums has appeared publicly to discuss what a wonderful son and father he was. He worked as a barber and also with his father through a nonprofit to promote anti-violence. His family indicates they will continue his work in that regard to keep his legacy alive. They also acknowledged the pain of the family of the other man who was tragically killed.
Watch the YouTube. The News2 report below features Mr. Allums’ family.
Berkeley Personal Injury Lawyer
Thank you for reading our report on this awful Highway 80 incident. My name is Ed Smith, and I am a Berkeley personal injury attorney. This tragedy underscores the importance of heading to safety following a car crash. If the parties had pulled to the shoulder to discuss the accident, fewer people would be hurting today. The driver of the Mini Cooper may have been able to avoid hitting the men, but the facts released do not make that clear. If you or a loved one has been harmed by the actions of another motorist, please call our compassionate injury lawyers for free and friendly legal advice. Our phone number is (510) 631-0200. We also provide a toll-free line for those that may wish to call us from other areas of Northern California: (800) 404-5400.
Photo: by Geralt via Pixabay
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