[12-16-2023] Los Angeles County, CA – 15-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed, Another Injured After Vehicle Crash in Sun Valley

A 15-year-old male pedestrian, Carlos P., was killed, and another was injured following a vehicle collision in Sun Valley, Los Angeles, late Saturday night, December 16, 2023.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the fatal collision occurred around 11:00 p.m. on White Street.

The minor and the other unidentified pedestrian were struck by Joseph D., a 22-year-old driver of the 2007 Cadillac Escalade SUV. As the SUV was driving eastbound on Strathern Street, it lost control and struck several parked cars.

Debris from parked vehicles struck the boy in the roadway. Medics transported him to a hospital, but he died. The other victim, also injured by the debris, was expected to recover from moderate injuries.

The driver fled the scene but was captured, arrested, and charged with murder. The release of any further information has not yet been made by the authorities.

Respected Los Angeles Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyers Specializing in Pedestrian Accident Cases

It is beneficial and ideal to seek legal counsel from a personal injury attorney if you or someone you know has been involved in an accident due to another person’s negligence.

You can schedule a free initial consultation with one of our experienced hit-and-run attorneys or pedestrian accident lawyers. We will assess the specific circumstances of your case, explain the legal procedures involved, and consider essential factors that could impact the potential compensation you may receive.

Seek advice from our top Los Angeles hit-and-run accident lawyers at Arash Law, under Arash Khorsandi, Esq., to help you with the insurance claim or effectively represent you in court proceedings. Our firm has recovered more than $750 Million for clients and is widely acknowledged for its success and reputation as one of California’s leading personal injury law firms.

If you want to speak with one of our lawyers, please call (888) 488-1391 or fill out the “Do I Have a Case?” form.

Top 5 Things To Do After a Hit-and-Run Crash

If you are involved in a crash with a driver who flees the scene, you can take particular steps to protect your ability to recover a settlement. The steps you choose can help authorities catch the driver, and they can help establish your claim for damages. Those actions consist of:

1. Collect as much info as possible while at the scene of the accident. Depending on your condition, you might have the ability to get the car’s license plate number and the make, model, and color of the vehicle. If you cannot make a note of this information, you need to at least attempt to snap a few photos of the car (maybe using your cell phone).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Report the crash to your own insurance company. While you ought to do this as fast as possible, you must stick with the facts. You do not have to admit or designate 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 or pedestrian accident lawyer about your case.

I HAD AN ACCIDENT

Fatal Hit-and-Run Accident Statistics

The United States of America has a specific law that prohibits anyone from leaving the scene of an accident without providing first aid and contacting the authorities right after the accident if any injuries are sustained.

Between 2010 and 2019, 3,056 fatal hit-and-run accidents in California resulted in 2,948 deaths. As a result of the high number of automobile accidents in California, the state is known to have a high death rate.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 38,824 lives were lost in traffic crashes nationwide in 2020. Since 2007, that number has represented the highest number of fatalities. Compared to 2019, police-reported crashes in 2020 decreased by 22%, while the number of people injured declined by 17%.