Police have not yet determined what caused an 87-year-old woman in Gilbert to strike a parked car and then crash through a building on Friday morning but they have confirmed that a 22-year-old woman was killed as a result.
The incident occurred near a Gilbert strip mall in the area of East Baseline Road and South Power Road at approximately 10:00 a.m. Police have reported that the elderly driver was running errands at a bank near the intersection that morning and that she returned to her car after completing her banking. As she began to drive, she reportedly struck a parked car in the area, causing her to lose control of her own vehicle and sending it crashing through a glass storefront in the neighboring strip mall. The woman’s car did stop upon impact with the store but rather careened forward, traveling about 25 feet inside of the building and injuring at least 12 people. One of those victims, a 22-year-old woman, died as a result of her injuries. At least two other people inside the building were taken to area hospitals for treatment of unspecified injuries.
Neither the driver nor her passenger were injured in the crash and police stated that at this time, they do not believe that impairment was a factor. That leaves investigators unsure of what caused the woman to strike a parked car in the first place, setting this deadly string of events in motion. While the investigation is ongoing, at this time it is clear that a 22-year-old woman lost her life through no fault of her own and nearly a dozen other people were injured at the same time.
Arizona law requires each driver of a motor vehicle to exercise due care and caution while behind the wheel so that accidents do not occur, thereby preventing the number of those injured and killed in car accidents, but unfortunately some drivers still ignore basic safety precautions. In the event that a driver’s negligence causes a collision, that driver may face criminal and traffic charges as well as a possible civil claim for financial damages.
Accident victims or the surviving family members of accident victims often are entitled to bring a claim for their monetary losses against an at-fault driver or anyone else who caused an accident, letting a family recovery for things like medical expenses, lost wages, and lost time with their loved one.
If your family member has been killed by the negligence of another, call the Phoenix wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free, no obligation telephone consultation. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we understand that you may want answers immediately after an accident so we keep a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call at (602) 819-5191 or toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER. Call us now and let us help your family get a recovery you deserve.
Prior Blog Entries:
Babysitter’s Dog Mauls 2-Year-Old Boy, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 27, 2013.
Father of Arizona Cardinal Killed in Car Crash on the Way to See Game, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 23, 2013.
Resources:
Car crashes into Gilbert building; 1 dead, several injured, by Jennifer Thomas, azfamily.com, published September 27, 2013.