Two Fatalities at 14th and Sedgwick in Riverside

Very early Monday morning a hit-and-run driver ran a red light in Riverside, striking a car and killing both of its occupants.  According to the Press Enterprise, the accident happened at about 12:30 a.m. when a truck heading west on 14th Street ran the stoplight at Sedgwick Avenue.  The truck crashed into a Saturn, killing the front seat passenger instantly.  The driver of the car was taken to Riverside Community Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.  The driver of the truck ran from the scene, and he is described as Hispanic, 5-foot-8 and about 200 pounds with a shaved head, mustache and tattoos up and down his arms and neck.  Anyone with information should contact the Riverside Police Department at (951) 826-5700.

What To Do If You're In a Hit-and-Run Accident

If you fall victim to a hit-and-run driver, the sooner you contact the police the better the chances they will be able to identify the driver.  While you may not be able to take accident scene photographs immediately following a collision, you should accomplish this as soon as you are able.  Sometimes pictures of debris left behind, and the actual debris itself, will go a long way to identifying the type and color of the vehicle involved.  That information can often be used to track down the accident vehicle and its driver.  It is rare the hit-and-run driver's vehicle will be abandoned at the scene, as it was in the case above.  Needless to say, it is likely a matter of time before the driver involved in the Riverside crash is found and arrested.

Wrongful Death Claims

The tragic accident above has left two people dead and their families heartbroken.  No amount of compensation can ever undo the harm, but civil justice is just one way we can bring closure for the survivors.  The right to compensation has been recognized in the law for quite some time.  One of its main purposes is to deter people from careless accidents that cause a death.  Prior to creation of the wrong death statute in California, the claim for the injury to the victim simply disappeared when the victim died.  Recognizing the unfairness of this scenario, the State legislature enacted the wrongful death law to make sure that careless people would be held accountable and surviving family members would be compensated.

If a family member has been killed in a hit-and-run accident, you should contact a wrongful death attorney to find out more about your rights.

SOURCE:    RIVERSIDE: Two killed in hit-and-run crash, Press Enterprise, April 29, 2013, by John Asbury