December 21, 2011--A sleeping driver lost control of his vehicle, crashing into a Starbucks and killing a customer.  Sergio Medez, the 30-year-old victim, was a veteran Marine who was currently serving with the National Guard.

Michael Cedarland, an off-duty sheriff's deputy, apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his truck and left the road, hitting a Starbucks on Ventura Street in Fillmore.  The truck broke through the side of the building, pinning Mendez between the vehicle and the wall.

Alcohol and drugs are not suspected at present in the case, as Cedarland admits to falling asleep at the wheel.  However, more investigation will be needed to determine the true causes of the Fillmore car accident.

According to authorities, rescue workers had to extract the victim from the wreckage with the Jaws of Life.  Mendez was rushed to the hospital, but expired during surgery.

Two other victims were treated for minor injuries.  Cedarland was not injured in the crash.

The building will be closed for business for an indeterminate amount of time due to damage from the crash.  Authorities have filed no charges against the driver, but continue to investigate the events leading up to the accident.

My condolences and thoughts are with the family of the victim and those who were injured.

Car Accident Statistics

A recent study performed by the National Central University in Taiwan found that as little as 80 minutes behind the wheel without a break can cause severe fatigue and impair driving ability.  Another study by the Adelaide Center for Sleep Research estimates that a driver who has been awake for 24 hours perform behind the wheel as if they had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .1, over the legal limit for driving in many states. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that there are 1,550 fatalities per year due to fatigue-related accidents.

What Caused This Crash

While it is still unclear if the driver of this truck actually fell asleep at the wheel, it is clear that he lost control in some manner.  Police are still investigating the possibility of other contributing factors, such as road conditions or interference by other drivers.  As the driver was an off-duty police officer, it is important to have objective investigators assess the accident to be sure that there is no intentional or accidental misrepresentation of the facts on the part of the driver’s co-workers and friends.  In any situation where an official is involved in an accident, it is always wise to have an objective investigation.

Liability Issues

Although it is clear that this car accident was caused by a single driver, it remains to be seen exactly where the liability for the case will rest.  While the driver is an obvious target for a lawsuit, Starbucks could also be held liable if it is shown that the building was poorly designed to withstand an accident of this type.  It is also possible that other liability factors could contribute, namely the condition of the roads around the store, which might mean a suit against the city or county for failure to maintain safe road conditions.  A qualified Ventura car accident attorney should carefully investigate the issue of liability from several perspectives.