Let’s face it, we live in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. We live where many throughout the country come to vacation. But, this does not mean that we can live care free on the road because dangers lurk every time we turn that key. This is unfortunately what some local residents are dealing with now.
The accident
According to the Huntington Beach Police Department, on Tuesday evening, a 35-year-old Sunset Beach man was driving his pickup northbound on the Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach, near the Bolsa Chica Conservancy off Warner Avenue. Just before 7:00 p.m., he crossed the median into the southbound lane colliding head-on with a sedan driven by a 19-year-old Newport Beach man and another sedan driven by a 71-year-old Huntington Beach woman.
The aftermath
Unfortunately, the 71-year-old women died at the scene. That woman’s passenger was taken to a nearby hospital with moderate injuries. The 19-year-old man was also taken to a nearby hospital, but he passed shortly after 8:00 p.m. Tuesday. The driver of the pickup was also taken to the hospital with moderate injuries. Though, he was arrested after being released on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Though, the accident is currently under investigation by the HBPD’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team. Anyone with information or who witnessed the accident is encouraged to contact them directly.
Options after an accident
This was a horrible accident caused by a negligent, allegedly drunk driver, and the families of the victims and the surviving victim deserve justice. And, for these victims, and all car accident victims in Santa Ana, California, our state has laws that allow for civil justice. For victims that survive, a personal injury lawsuit can be brought against the negligent driver to hold them accountable for their actions and recoup all of one’s damages, including for pain and suffering. For surviving family members of deceased accident victims, a wrongful death lawsuit is available. This allows surviving family members to get some semblance of justice.