A 48-year-old Santa Monica man was killed Friday afternoon when his car was struck by another vehicle on Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) in Malibu, authorities reported. The accident occurred at about 4:15 p.m. near Broad Beach Road. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, 19-year-old David Corona of Oxnard struck a vehicle driven by James Stellar. Corona's vehicle, which was going west, drifted across center lines and into eastbound lanes when it broadsided the vehicle driven by James Stellar, who died following the collision. Stellar was attempting to turn left from westbound PCH onto Broad Beach Road.
David Corona, who was hospitalized following the accident, told authorities he fell asleep at the wheel, the Ventura Star News reported. Investigators have not said whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision. The cause of the accident and whether or not David Corona fell asleep at the wheel, remains under investigation.
Liability and Falling Asleep at the Wheel
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the inability of a drowsy driver to stay awake at the wheel kills 1,500 and injures over 70,000 each year. Surprisingly, the under 20 age group has more sleep related car accidents because of their irregular sleep patterns.
Falling asleep at the wheel is, in almost all cases, negligent driving. If news reports are accurate and the driver fell asleep and caused this fatal accident, he is almost certainly at fault. He should have pulled over, or stopped driving when he felt tired, and not kept driving, as he did. Although this accident is still under investigation, the family of James Stellar would be well-advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles auto accident lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney can monitor the investigation and help the family understand their rights and options for holding the driver accountable for their loss in a wrongful death claim.
Sources: Lookout News, KTLA News, Ventura Star
I witnessed this accident from less than 200 feet traveling east on PCH as a passenger in a car driven by my son, who was on his 6th driving lesson. I saw the entire event unfold as my boy made an emergency stop on the shoulder. David Corona, in my opinion and by observation, did not appear to "fall asleep" and drift across lanes. He appeared to deliberately steer across the center divider, straightened his vehicle, accelerated to the intersection in the eastbound lanes, narrowly missing oncoming cars, before turning at Broad Beach and broadsiding Mr. Stellar's car. Mr.Stellar was NOT Westbound, he was Eastbound and tried to make a right turn into Broad Beach. Corona hit him at about the telephone pole, pushing Stellar's car into it. Both vehicles rebounded back into traffic lanes, Corona ending further to the west than Stellar, whose car spun 180 degrees counterclockwise after impacting the telephone pole. The sheriff's statement contradicts the unanimous on-scene statements by at least 5 of us who were eyewitnesses to this tragedy. Falling asleep may very well be negligent driving, Corona's actions appeared more to be reckless driving. In any even he was clearly at fault and should be held to account.
Just days ago, I have heard from this terrible accident.
It is also just recently that my parents spoke so eloquently about this family Stellar who are close friends to my parents.
I am so shocked and moved and so are my parents who have shared so many Beautiful and Joyfull moments with you both in USA as in Curacao Netherlands Antilles.
We can not comprehend that Mr. and Mrs. Stellar's lives have changed forever by this incredible loss of their eldest son.
No words can bring consolation, but please know that I will be praying for you.
May God help and guide you through this bereavement. May your son sleep forever in His Peace.
(not sure how we could have reached you otherwise, pardon this public way).
We love you, miss you and think about you.
…. daughter of August and Vivienne Cratz, Vanessa from Europe, Amsterdam.