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17
Aug

California Officer Injured in Crash with Melon Truck

August 17, 2011

An officer with the California High Patrol was injured, along with his K-9 partner, on Tuesday, August 16 when his patrol car collided with a semi truck carrying melons on Highway 111, south of Johnson Street.

The Desert Sun reports that the crash occurred around 12:30 p.m. near Mecca, California, when the southbound officer collided with a northbound 2000 Freightliner truck. The two vehicles hit each other on the left front sides.

“For reasons yet unknown they struck,” said CHP spokesman Joseph Zagorski. “They collided left front to left front.”

Both vehicles were badly damaged, leaving heaps of debris in the roadway. The accident closed Highway 111 from Johnson Street to 68th Avenue for more than four hours.

The truck driver was not injured, but the officer had to be transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. He was treated for minor injuries and released. The officer’s K-9 was taken to a veterinarian, treated for minor injuries, and released.

Zagorski told The Desert Sun that the cause of the accident is still under investigation.

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What do you think was the cause of this California auto accident?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a California auto accident, the California auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

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9
Aug

Passenger Breastfeeding at Time of Deadly Coachella Valley Crash

August 9, 2011

A deadly car accident occurred in the Thermal area of Coachella Valley, California, on Wednesday, August 3, while police say a passenger was breastfeeding her infant in the passenger seat.

The crash occurred around 6:45 p.m. on Jackson Street near Avenue 54 when a southbound 42-year-old female driver attempted to make a U-Turn on Jackson.

The Riverside County Coroner reports that the driver was broadsided by another car and killed.

Meanwhile, the passenger in the car – who was apparently breastfeeding her child in the front seat at the time – was injured and was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. Her baby was also taken to Desert Regional, but KPSP reports that it was only for “precautionary reasons” as the infant “did not appear to have been injured in the crash.”

Coachella officer Joe Zagorski told KPSP that the driver of the other car was treated and released at the scene.

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Who do you think should be held liable in this Coachella Valley auto accident?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a California auto accident, the California auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

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3
Aug

Crime Rate in Indio Down, Says Police Chief

August 3, 2011

Overall crime in Indio, California, is down 14 percent so far in 2011, as compared to the first six months of 2010, says the Indio Police Department.

Broken down, property crime is down 15 percent and violent crime is down six percent, rape is down 23 percent, robbery is down nine percent, aggravated assault is down five percent, burglary is down 20 percent, and auto theft is down 48 percent.

However, there are have been four homicides so far in 2011 compared with two this time last year. But Indio Police Department Public Information Officer Ben Guitron said that all 2011 homicide cases have been solved and that all suspects were arrested and are in jail. This time last year, only one of the two homicides were solved.

Police chief Bradley Ramos told KPSP that he credits the sinking crime rate to the success of community programs like Neighborhood Watch, Crime Free Multi-Housing, and Business Watch. Ramos also says the police force has worked harder to determine areas in the community where officers most need to be deployed.

“It has become necessary to look for other measures within our means, like how we assess our crime statistics by using the COMPSTAT, hot spot crime analysis, and focusing on areas that show any increase in criminal activity,” said Ramos. “By constantly monitoring criminal activity, we are able to deploy resources quickly and effectively.”

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What do you think has made the difference in crime rates in Indio, California, this year?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a California auto accident, the California auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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26
Jul

4 Arrested, 29 Cited at DUI Checkpoint in Coachella

July 26, 2011

A driving under the influence and driver’s license checkpoint in Coachella, California, on Saturday yielded four arrests and 29 citations.

The Desert Sun reports that the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department ran the operation from 7 p.m. on Friday until 1 a.m. on Saturday on Avenue 48 east of Jackson Street.

Sergeant Mike Tapp told the newspaper that 837 vehicles passed through the checkpoint in those six hours. The four men who were arrested include a 42-year-old Indio male for suspicion of DUI and possession of narcotics; a 37-year-old Coachella male for suspicion of DUI; a 25-year-old Coachella male for a felony narcotic warrant; and a 42-year-old Coachella male for suspicion of public intoxication.

Ten others were cited for driving without a valid driver’s license. Nineteen received citations for hazardous equipment violations. Six vehicles were towed from the checkpoint site.

“A major component of these checkpoints is to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to encourage sober designated drivers,” said Tapp to The Desert Sun.

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Do you think DUI checkpoints are an effective way to deter drunk drivers in Coachella?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a California auto accident, the California auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

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19
Jul

Coachella Man Dies in Single-Car Crash Near Thermal

July 19, 2011

A 27-year-old Coachella, California, man died early Monday, July 18, when his car collided with a palm tree near Thermal, California–which is about 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs.

The crash occurred around 3 a.m. on Pierce Street at Airport Boulevard, according to MyDesert.com.

The California Highway Patrol reports that the man was driving his Infinity G35 northbound “at a high rate of speed” before losing control of the vehicle. The driver then swerved off the road and into a barbed wire fence. There are conflicting reports about whether or not the man was wearing a seatbelt.

“After leaving the roadway, the vehicle also began to overturn,” said the California Highway Patrol’s accident report. ”As the vehicle was overturning, it collided with a palm tree.”

The driver, who was the only person in the Infiniti, had to be extracted from the vehicle. He was declared dead at the crash site.

It took police several hours to investigate and clean up on Monday morning.

Investigators asked anyone who may have seen the crash to call the CHP at (760) 772-8911

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What do you think can be done to discourage speeding in California? Do you feel less safe being on the road late at night or very early in the morning?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a California auto accident, the California auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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13
Jul

Palm Springs Woman Hospitalized After 2-Car Crash

July 13, 2011

A Palm Springs, California, woman was hospitalized Friday after she was hit by a car while turning into a shopping center parking lot.

The crash occurred around noon along Vista Chino near Sunrise way, according to The Desert Sun. The woman was driving a white PT Cruiser eastbound but crossed into the westbound lanes as she attempted to enter a shopping center. A witness told The Desert Sun that the PT Cruiser was broad-sided by a westbound Acura.

The PT Cruiser then flipped over, coming to rest on its side in the center divider.

The driver of the PT Cruiser had to be transported to a hospital by ambulance with lacerations and minor bruises. The driver of the Acura was not seriously injured.

Witness Michael Rouff told The Desert Sun that this stretch of road is particularly dangerous.

“I’ve seen more accidents on this one stretch than anywhere else,” Rouff said. “There should be a light there.”

A portion of Vista Chino was briefly closed following the collision.

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Do you think Vista Chino is a problematic road for Palm Springs drivers? What can be done to lessen the number of car accidents on this road?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a California auto accident, the California auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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5
Jul

Cathedral City Man Facing DUI Manslaughter Charge to Make Plea

July 5, 2011

A 49-year-old man from Cathedral City, California, is being arraigned today on a felony manslaughter charge after a May 21 accident in which the man crashed his Ford Expedition, killing his 55-year-old male passenger and critically injuring himself.

The driver’s arraignment has been on the court schedule seven times but the man’s medical condition has prevented him from being transported to court thus far, reports MyDesert.com.

Police suspect that the man was speeding northbound on Cathedral Canyon Drive when he lost control of his vehicle near the intersection of Cathedral Canyon and Dinah Shore. The SUV jumped a curb and then smashed into a tree and a stone wall. The man told officers that he had been drinking beer, and police report smelling alcohol on his breath in addition to noting slurred speech.

Both men had to be cut from the vehicle.

MyDesert.com reports that if convicted of felony DUI gross vehicular manslaughter the man could face between four and 10 years in prison.

Read more.

What do you think can be done to reduce drunk driving accidents in Southern California?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a California auto accident, the California auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

Popularity: 1% [?]

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29
Jun

Desert Hot Springs Teen Crashes Car into Tree, Leaves Passenger in Burning Car

June 29, 2011

Police found a 2004 Chrysler Sebring on fire and crashed into a tree early Tuesday in Desert Hot Springs, California. The Desert Sun reports that when officials arrived on the scene at 2:44 a.m. and started to put out the vehicle fire along the 66-620 block of Mission Lakes Boulevard they initially presumed that the car was empty and began to extinguish the flames. They then spied a man inside the convertible.

An injured 34-year-old Desert Hot Springs man was in the passenger seat. Police extracted him through the broken passenger window.

A few blocks away from the crash site police found a 16-year-old boy who allegedly crashed the car.

Both the man and boy were taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. Neither suffer life-threatening injuries.

Police are seeking information about the crash and asking that tips be directed to (760) 329-2904.

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What do you think may have been the cause of this Desert Palm Springs auto accident?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a California auto accident, the California auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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21
Jun

6 Injured During 11-Vehicle Crash in Coachella

June 21, 2011

Eleven vehicles were involved in a massive pile-up on Highway 86S in Coachella, California, on the evening of Thursday, June 16. Authorities say they believe blowing sand may have caused the accident, which injured six people.

The accident happened around 5:10 p.m. in the highway’s northbound lanes near Avenue 52. It involved three tractor trailers and eight passenger vehicles. Following the collision, the Fire Department transported six people to local hospitals with minor injuries.

“There’s extremely high winds out there and little to no visibility whatsoever,” said Cpl. Courtney Donowho, spokeswoman for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, to MyDesert.com.

Both the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 86S were closed for several hours while investigators reviewed details of the crash. Alcohol and drugs are not considered a factor.

The Sheriff’s Department has determined that sand “generated near white-out conditions” along the desert area of Coachella and that the drivers’ obstructed visibility was probably the reason for the crash.

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Do you think there needs to be more warnings in place during days when driving conditions are particularly hazardous? Would lowering the speed limit in desert areas help?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Coachella Valley auto accident, the Coachella Valley auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

Popularity: 1% [?]

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14
Jun

Driver in Double Fatality Coachella Valley Crash Accused of Second-Degree Murder

June 14, 2011

On Monday a 25-year-old West Corvina, California, man was ordered to stand trial on a slew of felony charges after allegedly driving drunk and causing a 2009 crash that killed two women on I-10 east of Coachella.

The man faces two counts of second-degree murder, as well as assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, driving under the influence causing injury, and evading arrest.

The July 12, 2009 accident occurred at 11 p.m. on westbound Interstate 10 near the Cactus City Rest Area when the man’s Toyota sedan plowed into a Dodge pickup truck with five people inside. A 43-year-old woman and her 75-year-old mother-in-law died in the crash. Both were residents of Whittier, California.

The man had been pulled over by Coachella police 40 minutes before the crash but drove off, leading an officer in a pursuit and eventually evading him. After the accident, the man again tried to flee but wasn’t able to make it over a dirt embankment and was arrested.

The man is due back in court on June 27.

Read more.

What’s the best way to discourage drunk-driving?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Coachella Valley auto accident, the Coachella Valley auto accident lawyers at Walter Clark Legal Group can help.

Popularity: 2% [?]