Pedestrian Died In Pomona Car Accident With Police Vehicle By The Intersection of Mission Boulevard and Main Street
POMONA, CALIFORNIA (August 25, 2022) – A pedestrian has tragically died in a Pomona police vehicle accident near the intersection of Mission Boulevard and Main Street.
Los Angeles County officials are saying that the accident took place around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday. A male pedestrian was crossing the roadway when they were struck by a police car.
Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim. Despite life-saving measures, the man died due to the severity of his injuries.
A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Pomona Police Vehicle Accidents
Thousands of people are seriously injured or killed by police cars every year. Many of these collisions involve police pursuits. According to one article published in BMJ Journals, “There were 2654 fatal crashes involving 3965 vehicles and 3146 fatalities during the nine year study period. Of these, 1088 were to people not in the fleeing vehicle.” There are many reasons that a pedestrian collision could take place.
- A driver may not have checked their blind spots as they were turning.
- A driver may have been traveling too fast for the prevailing conditions.
- A driver may not have been scanning the road ahead of them.
Determining who could be liable for any accident involving a police vehicle can be difficult. Police departments are typically granted a great deal of immunity for collisions when they are responding to emergencies. However, the driver of any authorized emergency vehicle must have had their lights and sirens while responding to an emergency, pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21055. If the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle failed to turn on their lights and sirens during an emergency trip and hit a pedestrian, this could form the basis of a negligence claim.
When a police officer is not responding to an emergency, they are expected to follow all of the rules of the road like any other driver. According to California Vehicle Code 21950, “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.” If a police officer was working when they hit a pedestrian, the police department that they work for could be held at fault. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any accident involving a police vehicle.
- The dash cam footage from the officer’s car should be examined.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- A thorough, independent investigation should be conducted.
The family of any person killed in an accident with a police vehicle may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. Damages in civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. To win any civil claim plaintiffs will have to demonstrate negligence. Sadly, though, police departments will often fight extremely hard to deny liability for any collision. A wrongful death attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A Los Angeles County Police Vehicle Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our deepest condolences to the family of the pedestrian killed in this accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be a thorough investigation for the sake of the victim’s family.
Do you need more information about an accident involving a police vehicle? Our team of pedestrian safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
