Submitted by Aiken Jacobsen on
Police are looking for the driver of a white van that pulled out onto Del Paso Boulevard in Sacramento, causing a collision that killed an 18-year-old motorcyclist. First responders arrived on the scene of the fatal motorcycle accident and found the injured motorcyclist lying in the roadway near his bike.
The white van also remained at the scene, but its driver apparently fled the area on foot and was nowhere to be found. Personnel from the Sacramento Fire Department rushed the injured man to the hospital where he later died. It is possible that if the driver had stayed at the scene and assisted the victim by calling for help, the motorcyclist could have survived.
The accident investigation remains ongoing. Crime Scene Investigators have analyzed the van and police believe that several witnesses saw the accident happen and the driver fleeing the scene.
Unfortunately, police do not yet have a description of the driver. Authorities believe that speed was not a factor in the accident. However, without knowing the identity of the hit-and-run driver, they are unable to determine what factors may have been involved. In many cases involving a driver who flees the scene of an accident, he or she does so in order to try and avoid getting caught for engaging in unsafe or illegal behaviors. For example, people who run from an accident are often drunk, driving on a suspended license or may have even stolen the vehicle.
Luckily, law enforcement authorities are able to use physical evidence and witness statements to ultimately track down drivers involved in these crashes. Once a negligent party is identified, victims or their families may decide to take legal action and pursue compensation.
Motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable vehicles on the road. If another motorist fails to share the road responsibly with a motorcycle, the results can be catastrophic. Bikers can suffer devastating or fatal injuries from which they and their families may never fully recover. In order to hold negligent or reckless parties accountable for damages, victims of motorcycle accidents or their loved ones can speak with an attorney to better understand their rights.
Source: Celebrity Examiner, "Hit and run kills teen motorcyclist," Randy Miramontez, May 7, 2014
