Bakersfield, CA – According to KBAK, in the early hours of Friday, March 29, 2024, a fatal hit-and-run collision claimed the life of a woman on South Union Avenue, prompting a search for the driver responsible.
The Bakersfield Police Department responded to the scene following reports of a vehicle versus pedestrian crash at the intersection of South Union Avenue and Hosking Avenue around 2:32 AM.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a woman with severe injuries resulting from the collision. Despite immediate medical attention, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Preliminary investigations by the Bakersfield Police Department revealed that the driver of a light-colored vehicle was traveling northbound in the 7700 block of South Union Avenue at the time of the collision. Meanwhile, the pedestrian was walking eastbound when she was struck. The driver fled the scene following the crash, failing in the legal Duty of Care that drivers owe pedestrians.
The 7700 block of South Union Avenue, where the collision occurred, is a significant north-south roadway with two lanes of travel in each direction, and the speed limit is set at 55 miles per hour. It is also noteworthy that there are no marked crosswalks or streetlights in the area.
Wrongful Death
While no amount of money can return loved ones lost to a vehicular accident, this emotional burden often accompanies a financial burden in the form of medical expenses, burial costs, and the loss of income to support any dependents of the deceased. Grieving families who find themselves in this position may think their only option for financial assistance might be public contributions to a fundraising website, unaware of the compensation available in a Wrongful Death Claim.
A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can help a grieving family pursue a wrongful death claim with the insurance providers of those liable for the death of their loved one. Depending on the circumstances, partial liability may be allocated to multiple parties, such as other drivers who failed to act responsibly or even local governments responsible for roadway conditions that may have contributed to the crash.
Duty of Care Toward Pedestrians
Any person involved in a vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision should be aware of the special Duty of Care that drivers owe pedestrians they share the road with because they are particularly vulnerable and more likely to have critical or fatal injuries in a collision. Drivers are expected to pay extra attention to the position of pedestrians around them to avoid a collision, and if a crash does occur, drivers have a duty to stay with the pedestrian, assist in acquiring medical attention for them, and cooperate with legal authorities investigating the accident.
