Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer Blog

I read an incredible story today about a California Highway Patrol Officer from our Sacramento area. The man, Mike Remmel, was severely injured about 2 years ago when a elderly woman ran him over with her car. At the time of the accident, Mike was directing traffic for another car crash. The elderly woman misunderstood where Mike was directing her and ran into him instead!

Waking up in the hospital, Mike found both of his legs amputated, one above the ankle, the other above the knee. The CHP officer of 19 years decided that he was not going to give up on his chance of living a normal life, including doing the job he knew and loved. He began a slow and painful recovery. He pushed himself to walk, then to run, and continued to press towards the goal of once again being a CHP officer.

A year after the accident, he returned to work doing a limited desk job. To be a patrolman once again, he would have to complete 14 rigorous fitness tests which included; sidestepping, running 500 yards in 2 minutes, and sprinting 100 yards in 20 seconds.

By August 10th he was able to pass his fitness test and was ready for full-time patrol.

Mike is an amazing example of a man who took his injury and decided he was not going to give up. I am encouraged to know a man like this is on the Sacramento police force. If you have been injured by another person’s recklessness, please call me at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins. I would love to speak with you about your case and the options that you have ahead of you.

Until next time…

To read the full article on Mike’s journey, please click here.

There is a big controversy going on south of our Sacramento home in Escondido, along with cases being brought against Los Angeles and several other Southern California counties for similar reasons. People are opposing a new system that has increased checkpoints throughout the city of Escondido. Police have two to five checkpoints up once a month to check for drunk drivers and people driving without a license. The police chief of Escondido, Jim Maher, says that this system is to reduce the amount of hit-and-run car accidents.

Hit-and-run car accidents can be a dreadful situation to be in, especially if the person injured does not carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. People who are drunk or do not have a license are more likely to run after a car crash, fearing jail and loss of their car.

The new checkpoint system has actually proved to lower hit-and-run accidents since begun. In the first half of 2007 there were 281 hit-and-run accidents, compared to 370 during the first half of 2006 -- a 24% drop in hit-and-run accidents in one year.

So why is this new system, that is lowering these terrible car accidents, at such opposition? People coming against the new system say that it is targeted at illegal immigrants and Latinos. Escondido’s policy against unlicensed drivers is also much stricter than most counties. Once found, the unlicensed person will be arrested and their car gets immediately impounded, whether or not there is a licensed driver in the car to take the car. Impounded for 30 days, the car will cost an average of $1,120 to get back.

Since June of 2007, 23 drivers without licenses have been arrested, 5 drivers under the influence arrested, and 434 cars impounded in the first half of 2007. This is a pretty substantial number, and to me it seems to be for the best in the long run to protect innocent victims of car crashes. We will see what happens in the future with this large dispute. Until then, keep safe on the road, and make sure you carry your license!

Until then...

For the full article on the new Escondido checkpoints, please click here.

It is one of the saddest things to lose a child. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for a parent to cope with this grief. These thoughts shadowed my mind after reading an article on News 10, a Sacramento news station. The article was about two teenagers who were killed in a drunk-driving accident.

The accident occurred when the driver of the car, a 20-year old named Michael Dimitras, lost control of his car and slammed into a utility pole. Two passengers, Kendall Lui (18-years old) and Brian Haight (19-years old), were killed, while two other passengers, Colin White and Ryan Neal, suffered from serious injuries.

Michael was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving causing great bodily injury. He was sentenced to six years and 4 months in prison.

It is amazing how a moment can change your life forever. When tested, Michael’s BAC was at a 0.09. As a 20-year old, any BAC over .01 would have been illegal, however it is interesting to note that his reading was only .01 over the legal BAC for adults 21-years and older. Even this limit can alter a driver’s ability to react in time to dangerous situations and handle a motor vehicle in a safe manner.

Don’t mess around drinking and driving. At our Personal Injury Law Office, we have seen many people lose their lives at the hand of this dangerous combination. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured because of a drunk driver’s misconduct, please call me. I am here to help.

For the full article on this accident, please click here.

A man from Southern California was killed in an accident involving the collision of a big rig with his car. The accident occurred on Highway 101, while the man was driving to work. Police reports show that the driver of the big rig stated he was slowing down with the flow of traffic when the car, a Mercedes Benz, cut in front of him. Without adequate time to stop, the big rig rear-ended the Mercedes, killing the man inside.

Accidents involving large trucks such as this are often times fatal. The weight and size of the truck, averaging 80,000 lbs. and 70 feet long, place the car involved in the accident at an extreme disadvantage. According to the NHTSA, 5,000 people driving small cars are killed each year and another 140,000 are injured in big rig accidents. On the other side of the equation, only 600 big rig drivers are killed each year in car accidents and 30,000 injured.

If you or someone you love has been injured in collision with a big rig, please call the Law Offices of Moseley Collins for advice and help.

Drive cautiously…

To read the full news article on this story, please click here.

To read more statistics on big rig accidents, please go to the NHTSA website.