A woman was injured following a two-vehicle DUI collision involving a hit-and-run in Twentynine Palms on Wednesday night, May 8, 2024.
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the collision happened around 8:00 p.m. along Adobe Road near Didsbury Road.
Authorities said that Blake B., 40, of Twentynine Palms, was driving a Mercedes car north on Adobe Road near Didsbury Road at high speeds. The vehicle then collided with a Toyota SUV driven by a 20-year-old woman from Bridgeport.
The Toyota was thrown into the road’s dirt shoulder and then another 600 feet into a telephone pole as a result of the collision. Witnesses noticed that the power line was beginning to ignite and that the Toyota was close to leaking fuel.
Police immediately responded to the scene. They said that the suspect attempted to flee from the scene after the crash and that he was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The woman suffered from non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, the suspect was also hospitalized for minor injuries. Investigators found that the Mercedes driver was operating the vehicle while intoxicated, which resulted in injuries.
No further information was released. The investigation continues.
Call Our Reliable Hit-and-Run Accident Attorneys in Twentynine Palms, CA
You can either file a lawsuit or submit an insurance claim if you or a loved one was injured or killed in a hit-and-run collision in Twentynine Palms. Seek legal advice from our injury lawyers, supervised by Arash Khorsandi, Esq.
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Top 5 Things To Do After a Twentynine Palms Hit-and-Run Crash
If you or a loved one was injured in a crash by a hit-and-run driver, you could take particular steps to protect your right to be compensated in full. The steps you choose can also assist the authorities in catching the suspect driver. Those actions consist of:
- Collect as much info as possible while at the scene of the accident. Depending on your condition, you need to get the car’s license plate number and the make, model, and color of the vehicle. If you cannot obtain this information, you need to snap at least a few photos of the car (maybe using your cell phone).
- Call the police as soon as possible. The quicker you report the accident to authorities, the faster they can act to arrest the driver. Also, when you call the police, you develop a record of the accident. Within a couple of days, you can order a collision report from the police station that took it or through the California DMV. This record will assist you later when you submit a claim.
- Get the names and contact info of any witnesses. You need to keep in mind that individuals who witness an accident may stay to check on your condition, but after the cops and ambulance show up, they may quickly leave. You should make sure to get their names and phone numbers as soon as possible. Witnesses could play a crucial role. For example, a witness might verify that another vehicle collided with your car.
- Get immediate medical attention. For your own well-being, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible and get examined for any injuries. Furthermore, if you see a doctor, it produces a record of your injuries. As you improve, you need to stick to your medical professional’s treatment plan.
- Report the crash to your own insurance company. While you ought to do this as fast as possible, you need to make sure to stick to the facts. You do not have to admit any fault. Plus, you should not give a recorded statement or accept a settlement agreement until you have talked to a California hit-and-run accident attorney about your case.
Hit-and-Run Accident Statistics
In the United States, leaving the site of an accident without reporting it or helping the victims is considered a crime. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported about 737,100 accidents involving hit-and-run drivers in 2015. This equates to roughly one hit-and-run accident occurring every 43 seconds in the US.
Within California, 2,948 hit-and-run accidents resulted in 3,056 fatalities between 2010 and 2019. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, San Bernardino County recorded about 1,218 hit-and-run crashes in 2021, higher than the 355 crashes reported in the previous year.