California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A Lake Elsinore man, David Loperena, turned himself in to Riverside County Police in connection with a hit and run collision that killed a 10-year-old boy. NBC News reported that 10-year-old Antonio Ochoa was crossing the street in a crosswalk near his home in Lake Elsinore with his mother and sister. The driver of a red truck ran a stop sign and hit Antonio, carrying his body 25 yards down the road. Officers attempted to search for surveillance video of the red truck in the area following the accident, but were unsuccessful.
Investigators arrested Loperena, the alleged driver, after he turned himself in for fleeing from the scene of the wrongful death pedestrian accident. Tragically, there are many serious hit and run accidents throughout California that involve the wrongful death of pedestrians. A moment of negligence or recklessness can lead to the premature death of an unsuspecting pedestrian.
Far too often, drivers think they will not get caught after causing such accidents and flee the scene. Under California law, it is illegal to leave the scene of a car accident without stopping and giving information to the victim or others involved. In someone is killed in the accident, the driver will also be civilly liable to the family members of the wrongful death victim.
In this case, the family of the victim should contact a Riverside County wrongful death lawyer to help with the details of the case. Because the driver was identified and arrested, wrongful death damages may be sought against the driver, in addition to any criminal charges he may be facing. A wrongful death case helps a victim’s family obtain financial compensation after a tragedy has occurred to help them to handle the financial burdens of the incident.
We wish our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Antonio Ochoa and hope they can receive the justice they deserve for their son’s wrongful death.