Newbury Park, CA – According to KEYT, a devastating collision early Thursday morning, October 31, 2024, left two people dead and two others injured after a 2016 Honda Accord struck a parked big rig along the southbound shoulder.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that emergency calls came in around 5:26 AM, notifying authorities of a serious accident on Highway 101 at Wendy Drive.
When first responders arrived, they found a 2016 Freightliner truck parked on the right shoulder and the Honda Accord approximately 500 feet south of the truck, lying overturned off the highway with significant damage. According to CHP, two passengers—a man and a woman—had been ejected from the Honda upon impact and were discovered in the brush with fatal injuries.
The driver of the Honda, identified as a 19-year-old man from Pico Rivera, was also ejected and received emergency aid at the scene. A fourth occupant was trapped inside the overturned vehicle and was carefully extricated by firefighters. Both the driver and the trapped passenger were transported to a nearby hospital, sustaining minor to moderate injuries.
CHP’s preliminary investigation suggests that the Honda drifted onto the right shoulder of Highway 101, where it struck the rear of the parked semi-truck. The impact sent the Honda out of control along the shoulder, where it collided with a large boulder, overturned, and came to rest on its roof. CHP reported that no arrests were made, and it remains undetermined if drugs or alcohol were contributing factors in the crash.
The occupants of the big rig were uninjured and cooperated with authorities at the scene before eventually driving the semi-truck away. Highway 101 near Wendy Drive experienced significant traffic disruptions as officials conducted their investigation and worked to clear the roadway.
Wrongful Death Claims
Determining fault in an accident can involve many factors. One key way a personal injury attorney can support families after the loss of a loved one is by helping to establish legal responsibility.
If someone else is found even partly responsible for the death, the family may be able to file a Wrongful Death claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance. This can provide compensation to help cover medical bills, funeral expenses, and the loss of income to support the family of the deceased.
