Pico Rivera Crash Leaves Three Dead Near 605 Freeway

Last night at about 8:30 p.m., a Honda Civic carrying five people apparently went out of control and crashed into a Nissan Sentra in Pico Rivera, resulting in three fatalities.  According to KTLA News, the accident happened on San Gabriel River Parkway near the intersection of Rose Hills Road.  The driver of the northbound Honda was killed immediately, and three backseat passengers, all children, were ejected and two of them died.  The third is in critical condition.  The front seat passenger in the Civic was taken to the hospital in critical condition, and the two occupants of the Nissan were hospitalized in serious condition.  It is unknown why the Honda went out of control, and the accident is still under investigation.

Cause of This Tragic Accident

While it is unknown what exactly caused the Honda's driver to lose control, there are indications from authorities that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash.  Given the devastation at the scene of the crash, it is easy to believe this was indeed a high-speed collision.  Even more tragic than the apparent senselessness of this horrific collision is the fact that three children were in the back seat of the Honda, and they were ejected from the vehicle.  It is unknown whether they were wearing seatbelts or whether, even if they were, they were old and large enough to be without a child seat.  

The Scene of the Accident

The area where this accident occurred is curved, somewhat sloped and it has only one traffic control device, a stop sign for northbound traffic.  While the accident cause is still under investigation, it seems possible the driver of the Honda ran the stop sign near the freeway onramp and struck the Nissan as it was attempting to turn left onto the freeway.  The exact point of impact will have to be determined in order to resolve this issue, and whether the configuration of the roadway somehow played a role in the accident.

If you have been injured or a loved has been killed in a traffic accident, a free consultation with an experienced injury attorney is a good way to find out about your right to compensation.

SOURCE:  Pico Rivera Crash Kills 3, Including 2 Children, KTLA News, June 14, 2013, by Kellan Connor