California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
The San Diego Union Tribune reports that on Friday, June 2, at around 6:30 p.m., the driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee jumped onto the sidewalk of Melrose Drive and crashed right into a couple out for their evening jog. Nanglee Vang—the father of five children ranging from toddlers to teens and a refugee from Southeast Asia—died at the scene of this California pedestrian accident. His wrongful death came just one day before his 41st birthday. His wife, 34 years old, was hospitalized with critical injuries.
Attorney Robert Bruce stated that, based on the circumstances of the accident, the other driver must have been traveling incredibly fast. A witness to the San Diego wrongful death accident stated that the Cherokee flipped several times before ramming into a light pole. Once the Cherokee stopped moving, the witness ran to the vehicle and held the driver’s hand until authorities arrived. The driver, who had to be cut out from his car and who also suffered serious injuries, was identified as Abraham Juarez Perea, aged 24.
Perea was charged with drunken driving and gross vehicular manslaughter. The Superior Court Judge ordered him to be jailed in lieu of $750,000 bail. On Tuesday, Perea pleaded not guilty.
It is likely that Vang’s family can file a wrongful death claim against the driver of the Cherokee, especially if the driver was intoxicated above the legal limit and his intoxication caused the death of Mr. Vang. One thing that many people are often confused by is the difference between a wrongful death suit and a criminal case. Wrongful death lawsuits are civil suits and independent of the criminal charges that an individual may be facing from the same incident. It is also important to keep in mind that just because a criminal case might be underway you can still file a wrongful death lawsuit and should do so in a timely manner- time is of the essence when it comes to a California wrongful death case!
Walch Law is here to help you. We understand the pain that comes from the loss of a loved one, and the financial burden that can result from such a loss. We offer years of experience representing families in wrongful death suits who have lost family members from car accidents in California.
Are you dealing with the loss of a loved one because of someone else’s negligence or wrongful actions in California? If you would like to speak with a qualified attorney about the circumstances of your case and schedule your free consultation, then call Walch Law today at 866-INJURY-2.