Two Men Killed in Crash with Big Rig on Highway 101 in Agoura Hills
Two men in their 20's died and one person was critically injured in an accident on westbound Highway 101 in Agoura Hills early Friday, the LA Times reported. The July 2nd crash occurred at about 4:40 a.m. near Reyes Adobe Road, the California Highway Patrol said.
A small silver compact car headed westbound on Highway 101 (the Ventura Freeway) drifted onto the shoulder where it collided with a big rig parked on the shoulder. Both the driver and front seat passenger were killed in the collision. One of the victims was identified as Joshua Dubon, 23, of Santa Paula. The other victim, whose name was not released, was 24 years old. The backseat passenger, a 21-year-old Santa Paula man, suffered major injuries and was airlifted to a local hospital. The truck driver complained of shoulder pain following the crash, but was able to drive away from the scene of the crash.
The CHP is investigating what happened to cause this Highway 101 crash. Based on the limited information provided in news reports, it was not clear why the big rig was parked on the side of the road, and if it was parked legally. The CHP will also look into other possible causes, including fog or other reduced visibility, fatigue, or alcohol use.
Big-Rig Rear-End Underguard Collisions
There have recently been a number of very serious accidents involving passenger cars rear-ending big-rig trucks. On May 26th, a family of five suffered very serious injuries when in a rear-end big rig collision on Highway 101 north of Ventura. On May 21st, a 22-year-old Madera man died in a rear-end big rig crash on Highway 99 in Fresno County. Because there are federal Department of Laws in place that govern big rig trailer bumpers (also known as underguard bars), rear-end accidents involving big rigs have unique legal issues.
Wrongful Death Liability Considerations
While this Agoura Hills crash remains under investigation, the family members of the victims of this accident would be well-advised to consult with an experienced California truck accident lawyer as soon as possible, who is familiar with federal Department of Transportation (DOT) rear-impact protection requirements (see Code of Federal Regulations ยง571.224 Standard No. 224), as well as laws regarding parking big-rigs on the side of a highway. If the truck was not parked legally, or if the underguard bumper on the tractor trailer did not meet Department of Transportation regulations most recently amended in 2006, the trucking company may be liable for the wrongful deaths of the driver and passenger, and the serious injuries of the backseat passenger.
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