California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A 70 year old San Bernardino man, Edward Stanley Baker, has been charged with a felony count of vehicular manslaughter, without gross negligence, in the wrongful death of a woman from an Orange County car accident. Mr. Baker, who allegedly failed a field sobriety test, was found to have a blood alcohol level of .22%, which is .14% higher than the California legal limit of .08%.
After the car accident in Orange County, Mr. Baker, who had nearly three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood, had an empty vodka bottle in his car.
According to prosecutors, the Orange County wrongful death car accident allegedly happened when Mr. Baker did not slow down or stop for the other vehicle, which was making a legal left turn out of a parking lot. The driver of the other vehicle, Tamiko Kaminaga, 60 years old, was killed in the accident. Her passenger, her son, Jorge Maresch, suffered a broken nose and other facial lacerations.
Mr. Butler faces a potential maximum prison sentence of up to four years and prosecutors requested that he be held on $100,000.00 bail.
It is unknown from the facts as to why Ms. Kaminaga attempted the turn, when another vehicle was approaching, or if she had a green left turn arrow. All of these issues may be examined further if a California wrongful death claim is made by Ms. Kaminaga’s heirs. Mr. Maresch will also have a California personal injury claim against Mr. Baker. The victim’s families should contact an experienced California wrongful death lawyer to find out their rights.