October 16, 2013 | By Greene Broillet & Wheeler
A California woman accused of striking a motorcyclist during a fatal car accident is currently in custody in Culver City. The woman, age 25, is facing charges of vehicular manslaughter, along with failure to remain at the scene of an accident with injury or death. Official reports show that the woman is being held in Culver City in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Authorities report the victim in this case, the 24-year-old motorcycle passenger, was struck when the at-fault driver attempted to cross the double line into the HOV lane in order to avoid slowing traffic ahead. The driver of the 2006 Toyota Prius never saw the motorcycle rider, according to the initial investigation. She ended up side-swiping the other vehicle, pushing the motorcycle into the center barrier along southbound I-405. The rider was transported to local hospital facilities, where she died hours after suffering the massive head trauma associated with the wreck. The motorcycle driver, age 30, suffered only minor injuries in the collision, according to an initial investigation.
The accident occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on Oct. 9, according to news reports. The at-fault driver is accused of fleeing the scene after making an initial check on the motorcyclists. California Highway Patrol responders had just arrived on the scene when they saw the woman attempting to make her getaway.
Drivers throughout California and other parts of the U.S. often fail to appropriately identify motorcycle riders, even on the interstate. When these at-fault, negligent drivers plow into a motorcycle, they run the risk of injuring or killing innocent victims. Families of victims in these cases can recover financial damages for wrongful death and burial expenses; surviving victims may be able to obtain compensation to pay for medical bills and continued care. Qualified personal injury attorneys can advise motorcycle accident victims about their best legal options.