A fiery crash on Gilman Springs Road west of Lakeview during the recent holiday weekend took the lives of two men and left a third with serious injuries.
It was yet another in a long string of crashes in which the victims were doing nothing wrong but suddenly found themselves part of a major wreck caused by another driver.
Witness Called for Backup
The crash unfolded on Monday, July 3, around 11:30 p.m., when a man driving a Corvette westbound at an unsafe speed failed to negotiate a bend in the road. Unfortunately, another driver was in the opposite lane, and the Corvette hit it head-on. The Corvette immediately caught fire.
An on-duty Hemet police officer witnessed the crash. The officer immediately called for fire department and California Highway Patrol assistance. Ultimately, at least four fire vehicles and others responded.
The officer tried to reach the driver of the Corvette, but the fire was too intense. Fortunately, the officer and another passing driver were able to free the driver of the other vehicle. They were not able to free the passenger in that vehicle, however, in part because the fire spread to it and some of the surrounding vegetation. Firefighters were able to free the man with the Jaws of Life.
Heavy Toll
The driver of the Corvette, a sixty-year-old Moreno Valley resident, was declared dead at the scene. It’s not clear whether he survived the initial crash.
The passenger of the other vehicle died about two hours after the crash at Riverside University Medical Center. The driver of the second vehicle was listed in serious condition after the crash.
A Dangerous Road?
Gilman Springs Road is getting something of a reputation. A week after this fatal incident, another crash on the same stretch of road left at least one person with serious injuries.
There have been at least two other major collisions on that road this year, including a four-vehicle pileup in February that hospitalized nine.
Riverside Car Accident Lawyer
Very few car crashes are true “accidents.” In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined that about 94 percent of all crashes can be directly blamed on a driver for one of many reasons: aggressive or distracted driving, inexperience, operating under the influence, and so on.
Speed was reported as a factor in the July 3 crash, but law enforcement officials haven’t ruled out alcohol or drugs as contributing factors.
When you’ve been harmed or a loved one has been killed in a motor vehicle crash in Riverside County, get in touch with Kohan & Bablove, LLP. Our team understands automobile accident law and has successfully helped many clients receive the compensation they need after becoming victims in a crash.
Call us today at 1-844-404-2400 or fill out our online contact form below to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
