A 10-year-old boy was injured in a San Francisco area car accident after he was struck by a vehicle. According to a news report in The San Ramon Patch, the injury collision occurred the morning of January 18, 2012 at the intersection of Milo Way and Davona Drive in San Ramon. Officials say the 17-year-old driver of a Jeep Wrangler travelling on Davona attempted a left turn onto Milo Way. The Jeep then hit the 10-year-old who was traveling south on Davona on a bicycle. The boy sustained non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

I'm relieved to note that the boy did not suffer major injuries in this crash. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. He will be in my prayers.

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January 9, 2012--Moreno Valley, CA--a 62-year-old woman was hit by an unknown driver as she attempted to cross Heacock Street at Kernwood Drive on Wednesday.

The woman, whose identity has not yet been released, was taken to the hospital with broken bones and severe head trauma.  The driver fled the scene in a dark two-door Honda sedan, witnesses reported.  The driver was described as a Hispanic man.

Police are still investigating the accident and hope to locate the driver through tips from the public.  They have set up a tip line at 951-486-6900.  Anyone with information about the accident is urged to come forward.

My thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family as she struggles to recover from this terrible accident.  I also hope that the driver of the car will be identified, or will come forward.

Accident Statistics

According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, between 4,500 and 5,000 pedestrians are killed each year in pedestrian accidents with vehicles.  While pedestrian fatalities form only 12 percent of all roadway fatalities, 85 percent of all non-occupant deaths in motor vehicle accidents are pedestrians hit by cars.

Alcohol use by pedestrians is a major factor in pedestrian roadway accidents, accounting for 37 percent of such deaths.  About two-thirds of pedestrian accidents occur on urban roadways, and over 75 percent occur at non-intersections.  About twenty percent of all pedestrian fatalities involve hit-and-run accidents. More

Adelina Gonzalez, 45, was killed in a Riverside car accident after a vehicle struck her. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred the night of January 16, 2012 near the intersection of Mission Boulevard and Pedley Road in the Glen Avon section of Jurupa Valley. Officials say Gonzalez was crossing the roadway when she was struck by a vehicle. The details of the incident have not yet been released.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Adelina Gonzalez for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

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Victor Arenas, 20, was killed in a Ventura car accident, which officials say involved a suspected drunk driver. According to a news report in The Ventura County Star, the fatal car crash occurred along the 101 Highway near the Faria Beach campground in Ventura, the morning of January 15, 2012. Officials say 20-year-old Abram Pineda of Santa Paula may have been under the influence of alcohol when he lost control of the vehicle, in which Arenas was a passenger, and crashed into an RV.

Arenas died at the scene of the crash. Pineda and Anthony Daniel Saenz, 20, suffered minor injuries. Passengers in the motor home, 72-year old Peggy Booth, 66-year old James Booth, and Clara Glanville, 56, also sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Pineda was arrested after attempting to flee the scene on foot.

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Four people were injured in a Los Angeles car accident, which officials report was caused by a wrong-way driver. According to a news article in NBC Los Angeles, the injury collision occurred on the 710 Freeway near Paramount, early morning on January 14, 2012. California Highway Patrol officials say 20-year-old Osvaldo Castanon of Long Beach was southbound in the number two northbound lane of the freeway when he struck a Union Pacific Railroad police officer's car. Castanon was driving a 1980 Chevrolet with its headlights off. The male police officer, who was driving a 2011 Ford, suffered non-life-threatening as did Castanon's three male passengers. Castanon was also injured and transported to a hospital, but was arrested. The nature of the charges is not known.

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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. More

Andres Escamilla, 19, was killed in a Fresno car accident, which involved a head-on crash, the morning of January 12, 2012. According to a KFSN news report, the fatal collision occurred on Highway 43 near Laton in Kings County. California Highway Patrol officials say Escamilla was driving a Mazda Miata north on Highway 43 and attempted to pass another vehicle when he hit a Nissan head-on. The Mazda also struck a Honda Civic that was traveling southbound. Escamilla died at the scene. The driver of the Nissan, Susan Pulido, was transported to an area hospital with major injuries. The driver of the Honda, Alejandro Tapia, was uninjured. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Andres Escamilla for their tragic loss. My heart also goes out to Susan Pulido, the victim who has suffered severe injuries in this crash. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

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A 55-year-old San Jose man was killed in a San Francisco area car accident when the vehicle in which he was traveling went out of control and crashed, the night of January 7, 2012. According to a report in The San Jose Mercury News, the fatal DUI collision occurred along the northbound Interstate 680 in Fremont. Officials say a Dodge Caravan driven by Salvador Espino, 55, was traveling up to 90 miles per hour when it veered through traffic, through the center median, went off the roadway and crashed into two trees. The right side of the minivan was sheared off and the passenger was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Espino faces several charges including DUI and vehicular manslaughter.

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Five people were injured in a Sacramento car accident after a suspected drunk driver crashed into the patio of a bowling alley. According to a news report in The Sacramento Bee, the DUI crash occurred at the Folsom Lake Bowl on East Bidwell in Folsom, during the early morning hours of January 10, 2012. Officials say Tera Lee Nicholson, 41, was under the influence of alcohol when she crashed her car through an iron fence and into the patio containing patrons. Of the five people injured, none appear to have suffered critical injuries. Nicholson has been booked on charges of drunk driving causing major injury.

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A bicyclist was injured in a San Francisco car accident that occurred at a street intersection, during the early morning hours of January 8, 2012. According to a news report in The San Francisco Examiner, the bicycle accident happened at Ocean and Geneva avenues, near the City College of San Francisco, in the Balboa Park neighborhood. Officials say a car struck the bicycle. But they have not released information regarding how the collision occurred. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital with unknown injuries. It is not clear if the car's driver will be cited for the crash, as an investigation is still pending.

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