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A heart-wrenching accident occurred
on July 17, 2012, in Cupertino, California.
The scene of the accident was the Vista Creek neighborhood which is
located near the intersection of Stevens Creek and De Anza Boulevards. The victim has been identified by the Santa
Clara County Coroner’s Office as 5-year-old Amartya Chinya.
According to published reports,
Amartya was riding a scooter in a cul-de-sac near his home when he was struckby a Ford Focus that was backing out of a driveway. The victim was transported to a local
hospital where he eventually succumbed to his injuries. Preliminary reports indicate that he was
wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.
At Matiasic Roth & Johnson LLP our thoughts and prayers remain with
the victim’s family.
Investigators are still trying to
determine why the driver did not see the child.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office does not suspect that drugs or
alcohol contributed to this horrific accident.
One possible factor in this tragic accident is driver inattention. A driver cannot operate his or her vehicle
safely if they are distracted. Common
examples of activities that distract drivers include: texting, eating, talking
on a cell phone, changing the radio station or applying makeup. The driver can be held liable for causing this
accident if driver inattention was a contributing factor.
The compassionate trial lawyers of
Matiasic Roth & Johnson LLP specialize in helping families who have
experienced the wrongful death of a loved one rebuild their lives following
traumatic accidents. We are committed
to making the responsible party pay whether they are a negligent driver, government entity, or vehicle manufacturer.
Our experienced bicycle and
pedestrian accident lawyers have a deep understanding of the manner in which
insurance companies operate and we utilize this understanding to obtain results
for our clients. We pride ourselves on fighting
on behalf of victims and their families to get them the compensation they deserve.
A fatal bicycle accident occurred in Berkeley, California on July 13,
2012. The victim was 65-year-old Shlomo Bentin. Mr.
Bentin was a distinguished Israeli psychologist from Hebrew University of
Jerusalem. Last year Mr. Bentin was awarded the prestigious Israel
Prize in recognition of his contributions in the field of psychology and
neuropsychology. Mr. Bentin was residing in Berkeley with his wife
for the past year while working as a visiting professor at U.C. Berkeley.
According to published reports, Mr. Bentin was riding his bicycle on
Bancroft Way near the intersection of Fulton Street at approximately 3:30 pm
when he was struck by a passing dump truck. The driver of the
truck reportedly did not notice striking Mr. Bentin. A
motorcyclist who was at the scene chased down the dump truck and notified the
driver that he had struck Mr. Bentin. The dump truck driver
returned the scene and cooperated with investigators.
A
Berkeley Police Department spokesman recounted that Mr. Bentin had suffered
significant head trauma. His bicycle helmet had reportedly been
shattered into several pieces. Mr. Bentin was transported to
Highland Hospital where he was pronounced dead. At Matiasic Roth & Johnson LLP our sincerest condolences go to Mr. Bentin’s family in their
time of immense grief.
A
professional cyclist from New Zealand is in critical condition after being
struck by a car in northern Sonoma County. On June 29, 2012, twenty-six-year-old
Michael Torckler was on a training ride on Pine Flat Road in Alexander
Valley.
Pine Flat Road is dead-end road in the vicinity of Highway 128. It is popular
among cyclists because it lightly travelled, picturesque, and steep.
According
to published reports, Torckler was riding downhill when he was struck by a car
that was travelling uphill. The driver fled the scene following the
accident.
California Highway Patrol investigators put a bulletin out for a black
Honda Accord.
The next day, thirty-six-year-old suspect Arthur Ben Yu was arrested at
his home in Rohnert Park. Preliminary reports suggest that Yu was
intoxicated at the time of the accident.
Following
the collision, Torckler was airlifted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Torckler was
reportedly in critical condition after suffering major facial fractures. Fortunately, it
is reported that Torckler's injuries are no longer considered to be life
threatening and he did not sustain any major brain trauma. At Matiasic Roth & Johnson LLP we wish the victim a speedy and complete recovery.
Cyclists
do not have the same physical protection as drivers, and therefore often suffer
fatal or severe injuries when drivers are negligent. A moment of
driver inattention or recklessness can lead to life altering injuries and
tremendous pain and suffering.
