Man Killed in San Bernardino Car Accident
Authorities have identified a man who was killed in a San Bernardino car accident as 25-year-old Lionel William Stanfield. The Press Enterprise reports that the fatal pedestrian accident occurred the night of November 9, 2009 when Stanfield was hit by a car while walking across a dark street in Victorville, California. Stanfield was crossing near the intersection of Palmdale and Emerald roads when he was hit by a Toyota Corolla driven by a 52-year-old man, San Bernardino Sheriff's Department officials said. Stanfield died at the scene and officials are still investigating the cause of the accident.
I offer my heartfelt sympathies to everyone who knew and loved Lionel William Stanfield. This must be a devastating blow to them. This young victim's family will be in my prayers.
San Bernardino Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) two deaths and 22 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in Victorville, California. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 50 fatalities and 432 injuries involving pedestrian accidents were reported in 2007. Countywide, car accident claimed 308 lives and injured 9,920 people during the same year.
Based on this newspaper report, it is not clear how or why Stanfield got hit. I trust that is exactly what authorities are trying to pinpoint right now. We don't know whether Stanfield was walking in a marked or unmarked crosswalk or at an intersection. The street also seems to have been poorly lit, which may have created a dangerous condition of the roadway, causing this pedestrian accident.
Car Accident Liability Issues
If Stanfield was in a crosswalk or at an intersection, the driver should have yielded right-of-way. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 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."
If you or a loved one was the victim of a car accident and if negligence is suspected, please contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer who can identify the negligent parties and hold them accountable for their actions.
We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.
