Ford Explorer Rollover Causes Death of Canyon Country Man
A passenger in a 1999 Ford Explorer died Sunday night in a rollover crash on the 14 Freeway (Antelope Valley Freeway) in Agua Dulce, authorities reported. The crash occurred shortly after 11 p.m. April 25th, just south of Agua Duce Canyon Road. According to reports by KHTS Santa Clarita Radio, the driver of the Ford Explorer, Robert Alaniz, 28, of San Fernando, lost control of the vehicle and struck a guardrail. The SUV reportedly went through the guardrail and about 300 feet down a dirt embankment, overturning multiple times.
One of the passengers, Brian Flores, 27, of Canyon Country, was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Another passenger, Anthony Holgiuin, 19, of Van Nuys, was injured, along with the driver. Holguin and Alaniz were taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital with minor to moderate injuries.
Ford Explorer Rollover Deaths in Southern California
This Los Angeles County accident in Agua Dulce is just one of a number of fatal Ford Explorer SUV rollover accidents this year in Southern California. Earlier this month, a 27-year-old San Diego man was killed when the Ford Explorer he was riding in overturned after it was rear-ended on Interstate 5. On March 28, two people died in a 2001 Ford Explorer rollover on I-15 in the Cajon Pass. On March 4, two men were killed in a rollover accident on I-40 involving a 2001 Mercury Mountaineer SUV (Mercury Mountaineers are mechanically identical to Ford Explorers).
SUV Rollover Accidents and Wrongful Death Issues
SUV rollover accidents have unique legal issues, and depending on certain circumstances, the manufacturer of the SUV may be held accountable. Just two months ago, a southern California jury ordered Ford Motor Company to pay $23.5 million to an Upland woman who was rendered quadriplegic after a Ford Explorer rollover accident on Interstate 15 in 2007. In that case, jurors were shown internal Ford Motor Company safety memos with safety improvement recommendations, and evidence that management turned down recommendations.
While the cause of this accident is still being investigated, the family of the victim killed as well as the driver and passengers injured in this accident would be well-advised to speak to a Los Angeles SUV rollover accident lawyer about the cause of this crash. An attorney can help the victims understand their rights and help them determine whether they may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer of the vehicle for their injuries or their loved one's wrongful death.
Continue reading "Ford Explorer Rollover Causes Death of Canyon Country Man " »
