(Huntington Beach, California) A 74 year old man dies while on his motorized wheelchair when struck by a Honda vehicle on Tuesday, at around 2 p.m.
Jessica Cuchilla, public affairs officer for Huntington Beach Police Department confirmed that the incident took place in the intersection of Skylab road and Able lane.
Huntington Beach Police Department received reports on the collision at around 2 P.M. involving a white Honda Civic and a black wheel chair.
Paramedics were reported to the scene. They took the 74 year old man to an area hospital where he later died due to his injuries. The 45 year old Honda Civic driver stayed on scene and cooperated with officers.
A preliminary investigator confirmed that the 74 year old man was traveling across Skylab Road when he was hit by the driver who was going eastbound on the road.
Impairment seemed to not be a suspicion in this collision. It’s unknown if the 74 year old man was the cause of the collision.
Perspective on Skylab Road and Able Lane Collision
Investigators may want to understand who is at fault in regards to the accident Code, VEH 21950 (a). “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.” This law shows that Honda civic may have violated this code due to the possibility of not giving the right of way to the pedestrian. Based on the information, the wheelchair pedestrian was crossing the unmarked cross walk when he got struck by the vehicle. Therefore the driver can be punished for violating this law.
Can The Pedestrian Be at Fault
(B) does mention the following that this section does not relieve a pedestrian from the cause for their own safety. It is prohibited for pedestrians to suddenly leave a curb or other locations in regards to safety. It is also prohibited to walk or even run into a path of a vehicle that is close enough to cause immediate hazard. Pedestrians are also prohibited from disturbed traffic by unnecessarily stopping or delaying traffic while in a marked/unmarked crosswalk.
This part of the law is important for investigators if the pedestrian in the wheelchair purposely tried to disturb traffic, or purposely out of nowhere ran to the unmarked cross-walk after leaving a curb. Car collisions are not always going to be the driver put at fault. It can also be pedestrians
(C) Under this law, it states that when it comes to the driver approaching a pedestrian in any marked/unmarked crosswalk, they should still care and reduce their speed or take any action as necessary in regards to the operation of their vehicle to provide safety for pedestrians.
Advice for the Family
If you have lost a loved one in this incident, staying in contact with the Huntington Beach Police Department can help you receive more information from the investigation. You can request official reports when they become available to better understand the circumstances.
You may also consider speaking with a qualified legal professional experienced in pedestrian accident cases. They can help explain your options and guide you through next steps. In addition, seeking support from family, friends, or grief counseling services can provide comfort during this difficult time.
If you have any concerns about navigating the legal process surrounding this incident, call 866-883-4318 to speak with a lawyer.
