[03-22-2024] Shasta County, CA – One Person Killed, Seventeen Others Injured After Single-Vehicle Crash Involving Hit-and-Run Along I-5 in Castella

One person was killed, and seventeen others were injured after a single-vehicle crash involving a hit-and-run in Castella, Shasta County, early Friday morning, March 22, 2024.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the fatal incident occurred at about 5:20 a.m. along Interstate 5 near Crag View Drive.

A 41-year-old driver named Jose Sanchez D.V. was traveling in a Volkswagen Crafter van with 17 passengers when the crash happened.

The driver made an unsafe right turn, causing the van to veer off the roadway and crash into nearby trees.

A 37-year-old passenger from Saucillo was declared dead. 16 passengers sustained unspecified injuries, while the driver suffered major injuries.

Reports indicate that the 41-year-old Tijuana resident ran from the crash. He was arrested with potential charges of vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run causing injury or death.

Alcohol or drugs were dismissed as factors in the fatal crash. Further details have yet to be released by the authorities.

Respected Hit-and-Run Accident Attorneys in Castella, Shasta County

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 Castella or other areas of Shasta County. Seek advice from our injury lawyers, supervised by Arash Khorsandi, Esq.

Avail a free initial consultation with our legal team at Arash Law. We will provide an assessment of your case, recommendations for necessary steps, and a review of the key factors that could influence your potential settlement offer.

Our respected Shasta County hit-and-run accident attorneys will assist in securing important documents such as accident and medical reports, as well as handling negotiations with insurance companies. With more than $750 Million recovered for California clients, you can count on the services of our injury law firm.

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 Castella 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:

1. 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).
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 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.

I HAD AN ACCIDENT

Fatal 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, Shasta County recorded 57 hit-and-run crashes in 2021, higher than the 54 crashes reported in the previous year.