A driver died in a still-unexplained single-vehicle crash last week when his car left the 805 freeway and landed in the backyard of an Otay Mesa family’s home. Sometime late on the night of the December 13 or early on the morning of December 14, the car crashed into the property, which is adjacent to the ramp where southbound I-805 connects to westbound California 905.
Crash Not Discovered for Several Hours
The car, a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, was discovered wedged against a tree around 11:00 a.m. last Wednesday morning when the owner of the property went outside to turn off his Christmas lights, which had been left on overnight.
It’s not clear when the crash happened, because the homeowner was out that evening and there were apparently no witnesses to the accident. Reports have speculated that the crash probably took place between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. After the car was discovered, a neighbor remembered hearing what sounded like a tire blowout around 11:00 p.m. the night before.
The victim of the crash, later identified as a Chula Vista resident, was found about fifty feet from the vehicle and had probably been ejected during the crash.
Homeowner Worried for Safety
This is the first time a car has ended up in the homeowner’s yard, but he’s been worried about this kind of problem for some time: Two people died in a crash eight years ago when their car left the 805 and struck the same tree.
The homeowner guessed that the car might actually have rolled off the highway, because it seemed to have done little damage to a fence between his property and the road before it came to rest at the tree and a retaining wall.
Photos from the scene show the car not far from the house itself. Had the car not been stopped by the tree and gone only a few yards more, it could have smashed right into the master bedroom.
Vehicle-Building Crashes Serious
There’s no solid data for how many times each year a car or other vehicle crashes into a house, but one organization collects that information for businesses. According to the Storefront Safety Council, a commercial building is struck by a vehicle as many as sixty times each day, leading to up to 500 deaths, more than 4,000 serious injuries, and millions of dollars in property damage annually. They suspect that the numbers for residences might be double that of businesses.
Some homes are more at risk than others. One San Jose house has been hit nineteen times since its current owners moved in sometime in the 1950s. It wasn’t reported if any of those crashes involved fatalities.
Orange County Car Crash Lawyers
When you’ve been the victim of an auto accident, whether you were in another vehicle, a pedestrian, or simply at home minding your own business, an important part of putting your life back on track is recovering damages from the responsible party. Choosing an attorney with the right experience is essential.
At Kohan & Bablove, LLP, we understand the complexities of automobile accident law, even in cases where the collision involves something other than another vehicle, such as a house or other building. Give us a call today at 1-844-404-2400 or contact us online through the form below to schedule a free consultation to discuss your specific situation and to learn how we might help.
