Grace Uyeki Died In Poway Car Accident With Ford Ranger Pickup Truck While Walking Dog By The Intersection of Edgemoor Street and Midland Road
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (December 4, 2022) – A woman identified as Grace Uyeki has tragically died in a Poway car accident near the intersection of Edgemoor Street and Midland Road.
San Diego County officials are saying that the accident took place around 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. Grace Uyeki was walking her dog and crossing in a marked crosswalk.
The driver of a Ford Ranger pickup truck failed to yield the right-of-way to the victim and hit her while making a left turn. Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim.
Despite life-saving measures, Grace Uyeki died due to the severe nature of her injuries. The driver of the Ford Ranger pickup truck remained at the scene and cooperated with police.
Friends and neighbors of the victim said that they have been pushing the city to make safety improvements in the area. Many drivers speed through the area. As the city has continued to grow, residents have said that the city has not bothered to keep up by installing the right traffic infrastructure.
Poway city officials released a statement regarding the intersection and claimed that it was not dangerous. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Poway Car Accidents
San Diego County has one of the highest instances of pedestrian collisions across California. According to the San Diego County Bike Coalition, “over 300 people are killed or seriously injured by drivers while walking or biking in San Diego County each year.” Many of the collisions that take place happen on a relatively small number of intersections and streets. There are a number of steps that cities can take to protect pedestrians and bicyclists from collisions.
- Cities should install protected pedestrian and bicycle lanes in certain areas.
- Cities can install traffic calming measures such as speed bumps and stoplights.
- Cities should study which areas have the most collisions and use what they learn to take the appropriate action.
All drivers have a legal obligation to exercise due care to avoid pedestrians in the roadway. The vast majority of pedestrian collisions involve some amount of human error. For example, a driver may not have adequately checked their surroundings before making a turn. According to California Vehicle Code 21950, the driver of any vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing within a marked or unmarked crosswalk. When a driver fails to yield the right-of-way and hits a pedestrian, they could be held at fault through a civil claim.
Many pickup trucks are used for commercial purposes. For example, construction companies and landscaping services regularly use pickup trucks to transport materials. If a pickup truck driver was working at the time of a collision, the company that they were working for could be vicariously liable for the collision. It is also possible that a city could be liable for a pedestrian collision if it was caused by a dangerous condition with a roadway.
Cities and municipal entities have a legal obligation to maintain roadways in a reasonably safe condition. Pursuant to California Government Code 835, a public entity is liable for an injury caused by a dangerous condition on their property provided that the dangerous condition was the proximate cause of the injury and the condition created a reasonably foreseeable risk of the kind of injury that occurred. One of two other conditions must be met:
- The dangerous condition was created by a negligent or wrongful act or omission of an employee of the public entity working within the scope of their job duties.
- The public entity had actual or constructive notice of the dangerous condition under section 835.2 of the statute prior to the injury. The public entity must have also had sufficient time to have taken measures to protect against the dangerous condition.
The family of any person that is killed in a car accident may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Potential beneficiaries in a civil claim can help cover many of the expenses that can come with the sudden loss of a loved one. Sadly, though, it is common for drivers and cities to deny all liability for a pedestrian collision. This is why it is so important that all evidence is properly preserved after an accident.
Investigating A Poway Car Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our deepest condolences to the family of Grace Uyeki. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be some accountability for the sake of the victim’s family. It is our sincere hope that city officials will consider traffic calming measures to help make this area safer.
Do you need more information about a Poway car accident? 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 investigation into a particular incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
