A woman sustained major injuries Friday morning after her Toyota Tacoma was rear-ended by a Lexus travelling "at freeway speeds," a California Highway Patrol spokesman reported. The April 9th accident happened at around 9:26 a.m. on Highway 4, east of Hillcrest Avenue. According to the CHP, the impact caused the pickup truck to veer off the road, through a fence off the side of the freeway, and into a grassy field where it overturned before coming to rest on its wheels about 100 feet off the highway. The driver of the pickup truck was identified as Nanci Lenoci, 56, of Oakley. She was flown to John Muir Medical Center with major injuries. The driver of the Lexus suffered less serious injuries and was also taken to the hospital.
The CHP reported that a crash had happened shortly after 9 a.m. on Highway 4 near G Street caused the traffic delay that led to this collision. The driver of the Lexus, Marvin Ownsby, 35, of Antioch, likely was not prepared for the sudden stopping of traffic, resulting in the chain reaction crash.
Fault and Personal Injury Liability
If the news reports of this accident are accurate, the driver of the Lexus was likely responsible. In almost all cases, the law presumes rear-end collisions are the fault of the rear driver. In other words, if you are the driver of the vehicle that was hit from behind, you are most likely not at fault. There are some exceptions, however it is not clear that any apply in this case. Drivers have the responsibility to give the car in front of them plenty of space, in case they need to stop suddenly. The family of the woman in the pickup truck would be well-advised to speak to a Bay Area auto accident attorney as soon as possible, who can ensure her rights are protected and she receives full and fair compensation for her injuries, lost earnings, pain and suffering and other expenses related to this accident.
Sources: Contra Costa Times
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