A 78-year-old man identified as Kenneth Warfield Sterling Sr. was killed after a fatal motorcycle crash near Ortega Park on Saturday afternoon, November 27, 2021.
The accident happened near the intersection of East Cota and Salsipuedes Streets at approximately 2:00 p.m.
A Jeep SUV rear-ended a motorcyclist on the 600 block of Salsipuedes Street. Due to the severity of the impact, the rider was ejected from his motorcycle and landed on the roadway.
The Jeep SUV then collided with a parked Dodge Ram pickup truck. Meanwhile, the motorcycle continued traveling riderless halfway down the block before colliding with another parked vehicle.
Unfortunately, the motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities later determined that the Jeep SUV driver was under the influence at the time of the accident.
The Jeep SUV driver was identified as 48-year-old Raul G. He was suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was arrested.
The SUV Jeep driver was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail, where he awaits charges for felony DUI causing death and felony vehicular manslaughter. His bail is set at $1 million.
Local authorities are further investigating the case.
Fatal Motorcycle Crash Statistics
In 2019, there were 5,014 motorcycle-related deaths. Since the early 1980s, the number of motorcycle fatalities had declined, but in 1998, the trend reversed and continued until 2008.
Wearing a helmet does not cost you anything. Wearing a helmet, on the other hand, minimizes the risk of serious injury or death. Helmets have been demonstrated to lower motorcycle fatalities by 37 percent.
NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,872 motorcyclists’ lives in 2017 and that 749 more could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.
Many common causes of motorcycle accidents include dangerous lane changes, left-hand turns in front of motorcycles, cars pulling out of side streets or parking lots, and drunk drivers.
Fatal Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for Victims in Santa Barbara County
Motorcycle accidents frequently end in fatalities because of the severity of the injuries. Motorcyclists have a greater risk of being injured or killed than passengers in enclosed cars.
If you or a loved one has been killed in a motorcycle accident, you should immediately contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer to file a wrongful death claim. It is best to get in touch with a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible. You can safeguard critical evidence while also protecting your legal rights.
The economic and non-economic losses after a fatal motorcycle accident can be expansive. The good news is that Arash Law’s skilled California motorcycle accident lawyers are here to help you recover your damages.
Contact Arash Law today to book your no-obligation consultation and case evaluation with one of our Santa Barbara County fatal motorcycle accident lawyers. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at (888) 488-1391.