Spring Valley, CA – On New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2023, Dale Alan Pumphrey, a 63-year-old El Cajon tow truck driver, lost his life while assisting a disabled vehicle on south SR-125 in Spring Valley around 8 PM near the Jamacha Road exit.
Reports from the California Highway Patrol and the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office reveal that Pumphrey was in the process of relocating a disabled Toyota Camry from the freeway’s right shoulder. In a heartbreaking turn, while navigating around his flatbed truck, he stepped into the far-right freeway lane. At this crucial moment, a 2013 Toyota Prius slipped out of its lane and collided with the rear of the tow truck, striking Pumphrey, as reported by CHP Officer Jared Grieshaber.
Despite prompt emergency response, Pumphrey succumbed to his injuries at the scene, concluding the New Year’s Eve tragedy. The Prius driver, a 60-year-old San Diego man, emerged unharmed. The CHP is actively investigating the collision, emphasizing no suspicion of the Prius driver’s impairment. He faces no charges at the time of reporting.
Even in cases where no charges are filed, the family of a deceased victim in a fatal car accident can still file a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This type of personal injury claim helps the family to cover the financial damages they suffer as a result of their loss. This includes the costs of medical treatment, burial expenses, as well as loss of future income from the deceased’s prospective earnings.
