Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

A three-vehicle Phoenix car accident killed a 32-year-old Glendale man last Friday and closed U.S. 93 for several hours, ABC15 reported. The Arizona Department of Public Safety reported that the accident occurred at about noon Friday and closed U.S. 93 in both directions at milepost 193. A Toyota Camry driven by an 80-year-old Wickenburg resident, veered left of center and struck a Smart Car traveling northbound. A Ford F-150 traveling behind the Smart Car was also involved in the crash. The driver of the Smart Car was pronounced dead at the scene. A 34-year-old passenger suffered serious injuries and was taken by medical helicopter to a Valley hospital. Two of the five passengers riding in the F-150 pickup truck were also injured. The accident occurred just north of Wickenburg, according to the Arizona Republic. Northbound traffic on the road, which is popular with drivers traveling to and from Las Vegas, was routed to State Route 89; southbound traffic was routed to State Route 71. Also on Friday, two motorists were injured and two dogs were killed in a Green Valley, Arizona car accident. A Ford Excursion blew a tire on I-19 and hit a car before leaving the road. The vehicle crashed through brush, over a fence and across the West Frontage Road before coming to a stop. The driver, a 53-year-old Phoenix man, was flown to a Tucson hospital in serious condition. A woman in the vehicle was also transported to the hospital with injuries. Two other passengers in the vehicle were treated at the scene. Two of five chihuahuas died in the accident.

Authorities are reviewing city procedures after a 10-year-old boy was injured in a San Luis, Arizona bicycle accident by an employee who was allegedly driving drunk in a city vehicle, the Yuma Sun reported. The boy was riding his bike near a Walmart store on May 27 when he was struck by the city vehicle, according to the San Luis police chief. The defendant is charged with driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. He has since resigned from his job with the city. The victim, a student at Harvest Preparatory Academy, suffered a broken pelvis, femur and shoulder in the accident. “The employee was on duty and broke the rule,” city spokeswoman Karin Meza said. “The idea is see what improvements can be made to the procedures to avoid risks” of similar incidents occurring in the future. “We don’t know if supervision was lacking or if the rules need to be strengthened.” Channel 13 reported that the accident happened shortly after 7 p.m. as the city worker was traveling west on Los Olivos Avenue. He struck the boy at the corner of Bernal Drive. Witnesses say he initially got out of his vehicle and attempted to help the boy. But, after seeing the witnesses, he climbed back in his city-issued Ford Ranger and left the area. A police report indicated two beer containers were found in the city vehicle and a pair of breathalyzer tests showed the employee’s blood-alcohol level was over the legal limit. As we reported on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, safety advocates are pushing to reduce the number of serious and fatal Arizona bicycle accidents. Nineteen cyclists were killed in Arizona accidents in 2008 and 1,682 were injured according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Drunk driving accidents continue to be a […]

An elderly driver is facing charges in connection with four Tucson car accidents in three days, Channel 13 news reported. Police say the elderly man suffered from medical episodes that caused all four accidents. The media report questioned why the man was allowed to continue driving. On Saturday a woman was injured on business property after the man reportedly struck her while pulling into an East Side car wash. After three crashes on Monday, police reported that the man was extremely disoriented. Police said they must work through channels to seek a medical suspension of the man’s license through the department of motor vehicles. However the Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles said law enforcement has the authority to begin the process by immediately confiscating the driver’s license of a motorist determined to be a danger to the public because of a medical condition. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 3,458 older motorists were killed in accidents in 2008, accounting for about 15 percent of all fatal accidents. More than 183,000 older individuals were seriously injured in traffic accidents. In Arizona, 139 of the 1,236 traffic fatalities involved drivers over the age of 65. Seventeen fatalities involved motorists over the age of 85. NHTSA provides tips for gauging an older driver’s abilities, as well as discussing safe driving with aging parents or older adults: Observing an older driver: -Make sure they stop at all signs and traffic-control devices and look both ways before proceeding. -Appropriately yield the right-of-way. -Respond properly to hazards and other vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles. -Merge and change lanes safely. -Maintain their lane and drive straight. Warning signs may include: -Slowing or stopping inappropriately, such as at a green light. -Driving too fast for conditions. -Driving too slowly or impeding the normal flow of traffic. -Driving aggressively. […]

Arizona boating accidents are an increasing concern for authorities. As the Arizona Republic reported, the state ranks 7th in the nation for the number of serious and fatal boating accidents. Despite being a desert state with no coastline, a total of 158 serious or fatal Arizona boat accidents occurred in 2008, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Only Michigan, home to three of the Great Lakes, and the coastal states of Florida, California, Texas, New York and Maryland recorded more boating accidents than Arizona. Authorities point to year-round warm weather and the large number of boaters on the few available waterways. Boating while intoxicated is also a leading cause of serious and fatal boating accidents. “You see them out there every time you go to the lake – they’re not hard to spot,” said Ed Huntsman, who oversees boating education for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “They typically are walking down the dock with a case or two of beer.” Laws governing boating under the influence in Arizona are much the same as those for driving while intoxicated; boaters face a minimum 10-day jail sentence and a $250 fine. Other safety advocates argue that Arizona’s problems on the water can be traced to a lack of regulations, including the state’s lack of requirements for boater-safety education. Arizona Safe Boating Tips -Wear approved life jackets. -Don’t drink and boat. -Understand boating rules and regulations before taking to the water. -Check the weather. Keep an eye on changing conditions. -Stay in touch. Cell phones, radios and GPS beacons can help keep you safe in the event of an emergency.

An Arizona Department of Public Safety officer has been hurt in a wrong-way Glendale, Arizona car accident, according to The Arizona Republic. The accident happened around 1:45 a.m. Wednesday morning on the Loop 101. A driver of a Ford F-150 was headed the wrong way on the highway when he struck the police cruiser head on. It is being reported that the officer viewed headlights coming his way so he turned on his emergency lights and started swerving back and forth to alert drivers behind him. The at fault driver, a 31 year old Phoenix resident, lost a wheel in the impact but still continued driving on the highway for another 300 yards on 3 wheels. He finally stopped near 67th Ave. and then attempted to flee the scene on foot. When the wheel flew off, it hit another vehicle, and luckily no one was injured inside. A helicopter was used to search for the driver and he was found a short time later. He has been charged with leaving the scene of the accident, aggravated assault and endangerment. The DPS officer sustained minor injuries in the crash and the at fault driver was not hurt. Click here to read the story as reported by azfamily.com.

In a letter published Monday in the Arizona Republic, the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists encouraged riders to participate in safety classes in an effort to reduce the number of Phoenix bicycle accidents and bicycle crashes elsewhere in Arizona.Vice President Gene Holmerud said riding against traffic continues to be a primary cause of bicycle v. car accidents in Arizona. Nationwide, 716 cyclists were killed in 2008 and more than 52,000 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While about 1 in 7 fatal bicycle accidents involves a child under the age of 15, the increasing popularity of cycling for recreation and fitness has steadily increased the average age of cyclists who are seriously injured or killed in bicycle accidents. Middle-aged men are now most at risk: The average age of fatal accident victims has increased from 32 to 41 in the last decade, while the average age of a cyclist seriously injured has climbed from 24 to 31. Nineteen cyclists were fatally injured in Arizona bicycle accidents in 2008 and 1,682 were injured, the Arizona Department of Transportation reported. The Phoenix Police Department provides the following safety tips: -Always ride on the right side of the road. -Ride in the same direction as traffic. -Use a bike path whenever available. -Ride single file. -Obey all traffic signals. -Stop at street corners. -Look in every direction before crossing and make eye contact with motorists. -Obey traffic lights. -Wear light colored and reflective clothing.

A 29-year-old mother is facing serious criminal charges in connection with an Arizona car crash that occurred between Phoenix and Flagstaff earlier this year. She remains in jail on a $15,000 bond after her arrest on Thursday. ABC15 reported on Thursday that the woman is accused of driving under the influence of drugs and causing the Skull Valley car accident. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said she was driving a 1997 Ford Mustang with two children in the car, ages 5 and 6, when she collided with a Chevy truck driven by a 71-year-old Yarnell man. The woman was flown to a Phoenix hospital with injuries to her legs and upper body; the daughter was airlifted to a Phoenix hospital with head injuries. Her son was treated at Yavapai Regional Medical Center. The pickup truck’s driver, who had recently undergone open heart surgery, was flown to a hospital with severe chest pains. Authorities report a traffic investigation clearly determined the woman was at fault in the accident, having driven left of center before colliding with the truck; her blood tested positive for a substantial amount of methamphetamine/amphetamines through lab testing conducted by the Department of Public Safety. She now faces charges of aggravated DUI, child abuse, aggravated assault and felony criminal damage. Her 5-year-old daughter, who was home at the time of her arrest, was taken into custody by Child Protective Services. Nationwide, about one-third of all traffic fatalities result from a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs; 11,773 motorists were killed in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In Arizona, 343 of 937 traffic fatalities were blamed on impaired drivers. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently reported that the number of women arrested for driving while impaired has increased by 30 percent in the […]

A woman from Peoria has been killed in an Arizona pedestrian accident, according to the Arizona Republic. The Phoenix area car accident happened when a car jumped a curb and struck the woman who was sitting on a bench outside a Walgreens on Tuesday. The accident occurred around 9:00 a.m. The Peoria Police Department and Fire Department came to the scene of the accident at Lake Pleasant and Beardsley Road. The driver, an 87 year old woman, was parking her Honda Accord in the parking lot when she accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes. The car then jumped a curb and hit the victim, who was a 65-year-old Walgreens employee. The victim was treated at the scene by paramedics and then flown to an area emergency room by helicopter. She died a short time later. The at fault elderly driver was not injured, nor was she impaired. According to most recent ADOT reports, 124 pedestrians were killed in Arizona in the year 2008 alone. Over 1,400 pedestrians were injured that same year. Also, in 2008 just under 7,000 elderly drivers (ages 75 & up) were involved in auto accidents, and in those accidents 66 people were killed and over 2,300 were injured.

A woman was killed in a Phoenix car accident that occurred overnight Sunday, AZ Family reported. The deadly car crash happened near Happy Valley Road and 21st Avenue and involved an SUV and a pickup truck. Happy Valley Road was closed overnight between 19th and 22nd avenues and re-opened about 7 a.m. Monday. The woman who was killed was reportedly a passenger in the pickup truck. Both drivers were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Two children, ages 5 and 7, who were passengers in the SUV, were also transported to the hospital. One vehicle was westbound on Happy Valley Road, while the other vehicle was traveling eastbound. Police believe the man driving the SUV may have suffered a medical problem that caused his vehicle to jump the curb and enter the other lane, where it collided head-on with the pickup truck at about 11 p.m. Sunday. Also over the Memorial Day weekend, a driver lost control of his truck and slammed into a home near 13th Avenue and Bethany Home Road. The Phoenix car crash occurred about 4 a.m. Sunday. Four people were at home at the time of the crash. The driver fled the scene, FOX Phoenix reported. As we reported on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, police are searching for a suspect who fatally shot a man during an apparent road rage incident following a Saturday car accident. The accident occurred on Southern Avenue near 19th Avenue and involved a Nissan and a Suburban. A passenger in the Suburban was shot during the ensuing altercation. Police are looking for a white Nissan Sentra with a partial Arizona license plate number of “052.” The car may have rear-end damage as a result of the accident.

A Phoenix swimming pool accident nearly cost a 2-year-old her life last Monday night after the toddler almost drown in a backyard swimming pool, according to the Arizona Republic. Police officers and firefighters responded to reports of a drowning near 38th and Missouri avenues shortly after 6 p.m. The girl was reportedly playing on the first step of a swimming pool when she slipped off and fell underwater. It’s unclear who long she was submerged. Phoenix police officers found the girl, who was not breathing and had no pulse. She was rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center where she was listed in critical condition.The federal government reports that drowning is the leading cause of preventable death for children under 5. Each year, an average of 385 children under 15 drown in swimming pools or spas — the vast majority are small children under the age of 5. The Arizona Department of Health Services reports an average of about 90 people drown in Arizona swimming pools each year. Last week, the Consumer Products Safety Commission launched a nationwide campaign aimed at pool safety to coincide with Memorial Day weekend and the start of summer swimming season. The Pool Safety Campaign operates a website with a wealth of safety information for parents and kids. Arizona law (A.R.S. § 39-121.03) mandates specific safety requirements for residential swimming pools, including strict requirements for pool enclosures, gates, pool covers and other safety devices. The Arizona Department of Health Services makes the following recommendations for pool safety: -Never leave a child unattended. -Flotation devices and swimming lessons are no substitute for supervision. -CPR instructions and emergency contact information should be posted in the pool area. -Residential pool owners should have CPR training. -Lifesaving equipment should be easily accessible. -Gates and locks should be checked […]