Two people were killed Sunday, March 28, 2010 in a SUV rollover accident on southbound Interstate 15, the California Highway Patrol reported. The accident occurred at about 7 p.m., north of State Highway 138 in the Cajon Pass. According to a statement released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner's Department, officers responding to reports of the accident found the red 2001 Ford Explorer overturned in a ravine on the west side of the freeway. Witnesses said the Ford Explorer was travelling at between 60 to 65 mph in the #1 lane of I-15 when, for unknown reasons, the SUV veered across all lanes of traffic and overturned multiple times. The victims were identified as George Perry, 58, of Rancho Cucamonga, the passenger, and Clara Perry, 59, also of Rancho Cucamonga, the driver. Both died at the scene of the crash.
Fatal Rollover Accidents in Southern California
This heartbreaking accident serves as another reminder of the potentially deadly consequences of SUV rollovers at highway speeds. Sadly, this accident is only one of many fatal SUV rollovers in Southern California this year. Just last Tuesday, two teens were killed in a SUV rollover on Interstate 5 involving a 2003 Nissan Xterra. Earlier this month, on March 21, 2010, a 46-year-old San Bernardino woman was killed in a solo-vehicle SUV rollover on southbound I-15 near Kenwood Drive. That accident was attributed to a tire blowout. Last December, a 24-year-old man was killed in a rollover accident on northbound Interstate 15 in Barstow.
Ford Explorer Rollovers & Liability
In February, a jury in West Valley Superior Court returned a 12-0 verdict ordering Ford Motor Company to pay $23.5 million to a woman paralyzed after a 1997 Ford Explorer rollover accident on March 23, 2007. At trial, jurors saw evidence Ford knew of the safety issues, and that engineers had made recommendations to improve vehicle safety, but management turned down recommendations. Ford has paid out hundreds of millions to victims and their families injured or killed in Ford Explorer rollover accidents.
Although this most recent Interstate 15 accident is still under investigation by the California Highway Patrol, the family of the two people killed in the Cajon Pass accident would be well advised to consult with a California SUV rollover accident lawyer about their legal rights. An attorney who has successfully handled large damage cases against major automakers can help the family obtain justice for their loss and hold the parties responsible accountable to the maximum extent.
Leave a comment