Santiago McCrea Killed In Sacramento Bicycle Accident Involving Garbage Truck Near The Intersection of Deer Lake Drive and La Tarriga Way
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (May 24, 2022) – A male bicyclist identified as Santiago McCrea has tragically died in a Sacramento garbage truck accident near the intersection of Deer Lake Drive and La Tarriga Way.
Sacramento County police officials are saying that the accident took place around 8:45 a.m. on Monday. Santiago Azryele McCrea was traveling through an intersection on a bicycle when he was struck by a trash truck.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim. Despite life-saving measures, Santiago McCrea died due to the severity of their injuries.
Police interviewed the driver of the trash truck who remained at the scene following the crash. A full investigation into the Sacramento bicycle accident that killed Santiago McCrea remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Sacramento Garbage Truck Accidents
According to data from the FMCSA, garbage trucks are involved in around 100 traffic fatalities and 1,400 injuries every year. Around 25% of the fatalities involved garbage truck workers. The other victims tend to be bicyclists and pedestrians. There are a number of factors that make garbage trucks particularly dangerous. A fully loaded garbage truck can weigh as much as 40,000 lbs. Even a low impact collision can be catastrophic.
- Trash trucks also tend to have extremely large blind spots. These blind spots are large enough to make an SUV disappear.
- Trash truck drivers tend to do much of their work in the early morning hours when visibility is reduced.
- Unlike other commercial trucks, garbage trucks frequently travel through residential neighborhoods where they are likely to encounter pedestrians and cyclists.
Garbage truck drivers must get a commercial license and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. Operating a trash truck safely is much more difficult than driving a passenger vehicle. In general, private garbage truck operators tend to have a worse safety record than their public counterparts. According to one report by the New York Times, 12 of the 20 privately owned garbage trucks they followed for two hours appeared to violate one safety or traffic rule. In New York City, the vast majority of garbage truck fatalities involve private garbage trucks. By contrast, public garbage truck companies are not driven by a profit incentive and can place a greater emphasis on safety.
All garbage truck operators must exercise due care in order to avoid hitting cyclists and pedestrians. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21200, a person riding a bicycle or a pedicab has all the rights and responsibilities as a person driving a motor vehicle. Many bicycle accidents happen when garbage truck drivers make dangerous turns in the roadway and fail to yield to a cyclist. If a truck driver commits a traffic infraction and hits a bicyclist, they could be held at fault through a civil claim.
Depending on the facts of any case, liability for a garbage truck accident could extend beyond any driver. When the operator of a garbage truck is negligent and causes an accident, their employer could be held at fault. This may be a government entity or a private corporation. In general, employers are liable for the wrongful acts of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any garbage truck accident.
- Photos of the accident site should be taken.
- Surveillance footage should be sought. Many homes have doorbell cameras that could have captured a crash.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- A thorough, independent investigation should be conducted.
The family of any bicyclist that died in a garbage truck accident may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help with many of the unexpected expenses that often come with the sudden and tragic loss of a love one. But it is important to keep in mind garbage truck companies will do everything in their power to try to evade liability for a collision involving their drivers. This is why it is so important that evidence is properly preserved and collected.
Investigating A Sacramento Trash Truck Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our deepest condolences to the family of Santiago Azryele McCrea who died in this Sacramento garbage truck accident. Any person that may have witnessed the crash or has footage of what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be some accountability for what happened for the sake of all who have lost so much.
Do you need more information about a Sacramento trash truck collision? Our team of bicycle 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 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.
