TEMECULA - Fourteen people were injured, including two seriously, when a woman driving out of a casino parking structure struck another vehicle and then an open-air casino shuttle (similar to a golf cart) Saturday night. The major injury accident was reported at about 8 p.m. on New Years Eve in the Pechanga Casino's north parking structure. According to news reports in the Press Enterprise and Southwest Riverside News Network, Vivian Edwards was driving her 2007 black Saturn Aura down the exit ramp at an estimated 45-50 miles per hour when her vehicle rear-ended a 2012 black Hyundai Elantra. The Saturn then struck a concrete pillar and continued forward, striking an open golf cart shuttle that was carrying seven passengers. Two passengers were seriously injured and six other occupants were moderately injured. The driver and three passengers in the Hyundai were also taken to area hospitals, along with the driver of the Saturn and her unidentified passenger.
Cause of the Pechanga Casino Accident
The CHP is investigating the cause of the crash. According to multiple news reports, the driver of the Saturn told police that her accelerator pedal had stuck and she was unable to stop her vehicle. Police reportedly ruled out drugs and alcohol as contributing factors. Police could not immediately confirm Edwards' claim because the vehicle was inoperable.
Personal Injury Liability
This accident has numerous unique factors (and potentially liable parties) because this accident involved an alleged mechanical defect in a vehicle, occurred on casino property, and involved a courtesy shuttle bus. While the investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, the injured victims of this New Year's Eve collision would be well-advised to consult with an experienced and knowledgeable Temecula personal injury lawyer. An attorney who has handled accident occurring on casino property, as well as with auto expertise in auto product liability arising from collisions involving stuck accelerators can advise the victims' of their legal rights and best course of action to ensure they receive the maximum compensation they are entitled to for medical care, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.
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