Richard Darman Parrilla, 27, was killed in a Riverside car accident after he was hit by a minivan while crossing the roadway. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred early morning on September 12, 2011 on Country Village Road south of Wagon Way in Jurupa Valley. Parrilla was crossing the street when he was struck by the northbound vehicle. Officials say the driver did not see Parrilla walking across the roadway. An investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Richard Darman Parrilla for their tragic and devastating loss. Please keep this grieving family in your thoughts and prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), nine fatalities and 54 injuries occurred involving pedestrian accidents in the unincorporated areas of Riverside County. Also, during the same year, 39 people died and 370 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents countywide.

Laws Relating to Pedestrians

Based on this news report, officials suspect Parrilla may have been in a traffic lane at the time he was hit. Under California law motorists are required to yield right-of-way to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks.

California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection." The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk "shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian." At the same time, pedestrians are also required to yield the right-of-way to oncoming vehicles and cannot dart into traffic lanes.

Fault and Liability

I trust officials are looking into whether the driver in this case was speeding at the time or could have avoided the fatal collision. If the driver is determined to have been at fault, then, he or she can be held liable for Parrilla's wrongful death. In cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, the family of a deceased victim can file a wrongful death claim seeking damages for medical expenses, funeral costs, lost future income, loss of companionship, and emotional distress. An experienced Riverside personal injury lawyer will better advise families in such cases about their legal rights and options.