2 Pedestrian Accidents Involving Government Vehicles Killed One and Seriously Injures Another

In a bizarre turn of events, two separate pedestrian accidents involving government vehicles killed one and seriously injured another at almost the same time in San Francisco.

The first vehicle accident happened in Ocean Avenue at about 1:40 pm when a water department truck struck a woman who was crossing the street.

The woman was pronounced dead on the scene.

Police are trying to find out if the woman was on a crosswalk when she was struck and why the truck was not able to see her.

The driver of the truck had worked for the city for 23 years.

At almost the same time, a second incident happened in San Bruno Avenue when a Muni Bus struck a woman who was also crossing the street.

There are no stoplights or stop signs in San Bruno but there were crosswalks for pedestrians.

The woman was hit on the right side and was thrown about 15 feet.

A witness called 911 and emergency personnel responded to the scene.

The injuries of the woman was said to be life-threatening.

Both drivers will be tested for alcohol and drugs as part of procedures involving these kinds of incidents.

The family of the first victim and the woman in the second accident could file a wrongful death and a personal injury suit against the city.

The city has a duty to take reasonable measures to keep its citizens from harm.

The claimants could argue that the drivers were not exercising the highest level of care and that the city has neglected some of its roads by failing to put adequate stop signs or stop lights.

SUV pedestrian accident kills woman in Newport Beach

Another senseless death occurred just before the end of last month because of a pedestrian accident caused by a reckless, negligent unmindful-of-other-person’s-life-and-limb fellow human being.

This is actually the second accident to happen in Newport Beach in the span of only a week.

The first fatality was a Redondo Beach resident Michelle Kim, 54 years of age. She was struck and killed by a minivan when she was crossing Newport Palace Drive outside pedestrian crossing. The driver, a certain Sung Van Le of Santa Ana was questioned but was later on released.

The second time around, the senseless accident which could have been prevented claimed the life of a 32 year old Costa Mesa resident, Martha Ovalle. She was reportedly struck by a sports utility vehicle while crossing the road, in a marked crosswalk. The vehicle GMC Yukon was traveling west on Westcliff Drive near Dover Drive when the accident happened.

Martha was pronounced dead by the responding paramedics at the scene of the accident shortly after she was struck. The driver was identified as Martin Kuehl, 41 years old, also of Costa Mesa. He was cited for the fatal Buckingham Lane and Westcliff Drive pedestrian accident and arrested for parole violation as well, by the police.

Martin was found to be neither speeding nor under the influence. But the accident happened nonetheless. The authorities surmised he wasn’t paying attention to the road while driving.

The family of victims must vehemently and with full strength of the law pursue these reckless drivers. We hope that they locate and employ the services of a good accident lawyer to fight and win with them. These drivers may be facing negligence charges, if not the much graver manslaughter charges.