Tag Archives: Santa Ana car accident lawyer

Police Evader Causes Santa Ana Car Accident, Injures Unsuspecting Family

An unsuspecting family was injured when a driver who was evading police after being stopped for suspicious narcotic activities crashed into their vehicle at high speeds in Santa Ana, Wednesday night.

A Santa Ana police officer pulled over a Toyota Tundra near East Edinger Avenue and Cedar Street at around 7 p.m. He suspected the man and woman in the vehicle were partaking in narcotics activity, according to Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

Admitting to being on probation, after being pulled over, the driver jettisoned from the scene when the officer instructed him to turn off the engine.

Bertagna said the officer began to pursue, as did a second officer who had also spotted the truck but they lost sight of it and for some time the fleeing suspect managed to evade them.

It wasn’t until a third officer spotted the vehicle that the chase began again but it lasted for approximately 30 seconds until the Tundra crashed into a double parked Chrysler PT Cruiser, ending the pursuit.

At the 300 block of Garfield Street, the Tundra slammed into the PT Cruiser, spun it around and in the process flipped over after it, landing on its side.

A mother, a father, an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, who were in the PT Cruiser, were injured and taken to a local hospital. Officials reportedly said that the family members all have varying degrees of injury but are expected to survive.

The fleeing suspect suffered the most significant injuries of the crash and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Officials took the female passenger of the truck into police custody. She will be interviewed and asked about the incident and her involvement with the man who she was riding with in the truck. She was not injured in the crash.

It can be difficult to tell when you are going to be in an automotive accident. Being in a car wreck can depend on many things that are beyond your control. But when a serious car accident does happen, you have to be ready to respond.

You can come to us at Dara Khajavi Law Offices to get the Santa Ana car accident lawyer that will have your back when you, a loved one, or a friend gets injured in a wreck. With a 98% success rate, you can expect results and a smoother transition to your normal life.

Santa Ana Car Accident Fatally Injured Pedestrian

A young driver that ran two red lights at excess speeds fatally injured a pedestrian in Santa Ana late Monday morning. The pedestrian died at the hospital moments after being hit and the driver was released shortly after being questioned, pending the investigation. Investigators were sent to the site and closed the intersection for more than three hours.

A woman who crossed First Street at Sullivan Street at around 10:45 a.m. was seriously hurt when a white Volkswagen sedan traveling eastbound on First Street slammed into her.

Authorities responded to the car accident where the pedestrian who was walking via the crosswalk was hit, Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told reporters.

Emergency respondents arrived to the scene and tended to the woman who was critically injured. They loaded her into an ambulance and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she died a short time after.

Monday night, Orange County coroner’s office officials identified the pedestrian as Graciela Sanchez, a 56-year-old, of Santa Ana.

Authorities described the driver of the white vehicle as a licensed female in her 20’s. She remained at the scene and did not appear to be intoxicated.

Traffic light video footage from the First Street and Fairview Street cameras showed the eastbound driver crossing the intersection on a red light above the speed limit, at speeds over 60 miles per hour. Witnesses told officials that the driver also ran a red light at First and Sullivan streets, where she truck the woman who was in the crosswalk and “has the right-of-way,” Bertagna said.

Officials questioned the young driver who was later released pending the continuing investigation. They did not say if she was injured.

Investigators closed down the intersection and reviewed the scene. They took notes and collected essential evidence that would help them confirm what happened there earlier that day, including talking to willing witnesses and reviewing street light camera video recordings. At about 2:30 p.m. officials reopened the intersection.

Depending on the police report and other facts from the accident, a Santa Ana car accident lawyer would be able to help the family members of Sanchez.

At Dara Khajavi Law Offices, lawyers are available to speak with new clients regarding their OC car accident anytime. Available 24/7, including holidays, Daralaw.com can provide you with a free consultation. If you’ve been in an accident, don’t hesitate to contact them, but make sure you do so before your time limit to report an accident expires.

Santa Ana Single-Car Crash Kills Teen

A 19-year-old died when his vehicle crashed into a tree in Santa Ana, Sunday morning. A female passenger that was in the Orange County car accident sustained injuries and was rushed to a local hospital.  His family built a memorial at the site hours after the incident and exchanged touching stories about the victim.

Luis Adrian Torres had recently purchased a Jaguar from his mother and planned to restore it but he will never have the chance to follow through with his plans. Torres was on Susan Street when he lost control of his newly acquired vehicle and slammed into a tree.

“At least he wasn’t in pain, and he was unconscious the whole time,” Monica Soto, his mother, told reporters. “I thought he was agonizing, internal bleeding, you name it.”

Medical respondents rushed to the single-car accident site south of Sunflower that was reported to have occurred at around 12:30 a.m. Paramedics rushed the unconscious teen to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he died.

Sgt. Jerry Souza told reporters that Torres was with a female passenger who was injured and taken to a hospital where she is now receiving treatment for her wounds.

Officials are still investigating the accident.

Later in the day, Torres’s family and friends met at the crash site to build a memorial. Some wept, while others told stories and some exchanged memories.

Soto told reporters that her son would joke frequently about everything and imagined that he would come back to the scene and say “OH, dang, I did that.”

Aside from being an upbeat person, Torres was also a hard worker. Recently, he got a promotion at the Chipotle at Harbor Boulevard and Wilson Street. Ethen Jimenez, and aspiring rapper that lived with Torres said that Torres “Knew that work came first, and then you could get to the dream.”

Torres went to Estancia High School with his older sister Bernice Torres and both were in the same grade. She told people they were twins, and they believed her. She also convinced him to join the cheerleading team with her when the team needed more boys. With a positive attitude, he joined and grew to enjoy cheerleading.  He also helped her get a job at the Chipotle he worked for and got his promotion.

“He made me not feel scared,” she told reporters as tears fell down her face. “He made me feel like I could do anything.”

Losing a loved one in a car accident can be difficult but a Santa Ana car accident lawyer can help with the stress of dealing with insurance companies and getting compensation.  Contact a law firm that has the passion and experience necessary to win automotive accident cases and get a free car accident consultation!

Accused is DUI Suspect Denies Being the Driver

English: A sobriety checkpoint in East Haven, ...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A man charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is denying being the driver.

The crash occurred on November 8, 2011. Angel Alberto Cruz Perez of Santa Ana drank 24 beers with his friend at a Santa Ana restaurant. The two friends were drinking at Mariscos Ensenada Restaurant in Santa Ana. They started around 3p.m., and they left the restaurant around 6:20 p.m. Perez allegedly drove away in his 1998 Toyota 4Runner with his friend sitting in the passenger seat.

Perez drove north of Bewley Street. He failed to yield for a young mother and her two young children. The mother was attempting to cross the street. She was carrying her 1 year old daughter in her arm and holding her 2 year old son’s hand with the other hand.

According to witnesses, Perez ran the stop sign and collided into the young mother and her son. The son was pulled under the vehicle upon impact. The mother and daughter were knocked onto the front hood of the SUV. Instead of stopping, Perez turned left and fled the scene. The mother and daughter were thrown onto the street.

Perez continued to drive to his home. Luckily, witnesses were able to provide the license plate number and a description of the vehicle. Perez was quickly found by the authorities. He was given a sobriety test and failed it.

The young son was taken to the UCI Medical Center in Orange. He died during the transport. The young mother suffered some abrasions to her knees. Luckily, her daughter was not harmed.

Perez was charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated, driving under the influence causing bodily injury and hit and run with permanent injury or death. He also faces a misdemeanor count of driving without a license.

Perez’s defense attorney is contending that Perez’s friend was in the driver’s seat the time. According to the defense attorney, the police jumped to conclusions during the investigation. The trial is still ongoing. Perez could face up to 16 years in prison and may also face a sentencing enhancement.

This is a very unfortunate situation. Drunken driving has caused significant damage and loss throughout the United States. If you spot a drunken driver, pull over. Do not try to confront the driver. If you can note the license plate, make and model of the car, and the location of the car, call 911 and report all this information.

If you are a victim of a car accident, contact a Santa Ana car accident lawyer.

 

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Debunking Fuel Economy Myths

Gas prices have steadily risen over the years. Drivers do whatever they can to save gas. This includes believing in many gas saving myths. These are some common fuel-economy myths debunked.

  • Many drivers believe that filling up their tanks in cooler weather will get them more bang for their buck. This is because cooler gas can be denser. However, gas stations usually store their gasoline underground. The cold weather will have little to no effect on the gasoline’s density. Filling up your tank in cold weather will basically make no difference.
  • Another popular fuel economy myth is driving at high speeds with the windows open increase gas usage. This is not true. The effect of open windows on gas mileage is minimal. On the other hand, using air conditioning while driving will make a significant difference. The best way to save gas in hot weather is to open the windows.
  • A very popular myth is that warming up the car before driving will improve performance and gas mileage. In older cars, this step may be important. Today’s cars have modern and advanced technology that eradicates the need for this step. Actually, to reach maximum performance, it is best to start driving right after starting the car. You may want to driver at lower speeds for a couple miles, but you no longer need to warm up your vehicle before driving.

 

Older cars used a carburetor to mix fuel. The carburetor prepared the fuel to make it ready for combustion in the engine. In colder weather, the engine needed a rich fuel mixture. The engine had to be warmed up for the carburetor to mix the fuel. In today’s cars, a computer controls performance systems using electronic sensors.

  • Many drivers think that dirty air filters affect fuel economy. This is true in order engines, but it is not true in today’s car. In modern engines, a computer controls the air/fuel ratio. This computer adjusts the amount of fuel used to match the air flow. Therefore, if the air filter is dirty, there is less air flow. A dirty air flow will not affect the fuel economy, but the car may accelerate slower.
  • Drivers often avoid no-name gas stations. They believe that these gas stations have lower quality fuel. These gas stations usually sell at much lower prices, but they actually purchase their fuel from popular name-brand oil companies. The brand name gas companies may have more additives in their gas. These additives help clean the engine, but they are not necessary. You will not harm your engine if you use gas with fewer additives. Modern cars have advanced engine technology capable of adjusting to different types of fuel.

Hopefully, this post will help you save gas. Remember to drive safely and cautiously on the road!

If you are ever involved in a car accident, contact the Law Offices of Dara Khajavi. Our excellent Santa Ana car accident lawyers can advise you. Please do not hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.

VIN 101

VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number. It is a unique 17 digit number that every car has, and it is a very important number. This number is used to identify your vehicle. The VIN number is used when you register your car, buy insurance, and when your car is being repaired. If your vehicle is stolen, police use this number to identify your vehicle.

The VIN is easy to locate. It is located on the upper left side of your dash. There should be a badge with 17 numbers on it.  You can also find your VIN on the driver’s side on the doorjamb sticker.

Each VIN is unique. The first three digits are the World Manufacturer Identifier. The first number is the nation of origin of your vehicle. Position two is the vehicle manufacturer. The third position is the vehicle’s type. Positions 4 through 9 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section. These numbers tell you about the car. Information such as the model, body type, and engine code are provided by these numbers. Position 9 is used detect invalid VINs. The last digits make up the Vehicle Identifier Section.  These numbers will indicate model year, the manufacturing plant, and the number given to your car on the assembly line.

The VIN is important for car recalls. If your car model is recalled, you will need the VIN number to find your particular car is affected. To determine if your vehicle is affected, the car manufacturer will ask you for your VIN number.

When you purchase a used vehicle, the VIN number is especially important. Before you purchase a used vehicle, you should look up the vehicle history. With the VIN number, you will be able to find any reports on accidents, structural damage, vehicle usage, recall information, and more. Make sure to get the VIN number from the vehicle. Scam artists may try to sell you a vehicle with a fake VIN.

Used cars can be great investments, but a used car can be very dangerous. Many recalled cars are being sold without repairs. If your research the vehicle history, you will be able to protect yourself from any possible car recalls and past damage. These unrepaired recalled vehicles are very dangerous. There have been many serious accidents caused by unrepaired recalled cars.

Car accidents are terrifying experiences. Victims are often traumatized by the experience. Thankfully, there are legal resources available to help victims through the recovery process. If you or a love done is a victim of a car accident, contact The Law Offices of Dara Khajavi. Our expert Santa Ana car accident lawyers will advise you through the legal proceedings.