DECEMBER 18, 2008 – The Houston Chronicle reported yesterday that a settlement has been reached in a January 2 charter bus crash that killed a 55-year-old Houston man and injured 44 other people. A settlement reached with the bus driver, owners, and managers was made public yesterday. The bus companies had limited insurance, and the $10 million settlement represented the maximum insurance proceeds available in the case.
The accident happened on January 2, 2008 on U.S. 59 near Victoria, Texas. The bus driver fell asleep and went off the road near the U.S. 77 interchange, flipping the bus on its side. The bus was en route from Monterrey, Mexico, to Houston, Texas. The driver of the bus had multiple convictions for driving while intoxicated, although he was not drunk at the time of the crash.
The family of Pedro Mendez, 55, of Houston, who died in the accident, was awarded $4.3 million. The other 44 injured victims who filed claims will share the remaining $5.7 million settlement.
DECEMBER 18, 2008 – Police reported a 44-year-old man was struck by a BMW on F Street in Chula Vista late Wednesday night. The man, whose identity was not released, had crossed the eastbound lanes of F Street when he paused to wait for a car to make a turn, and was subsequently hit by a car whose driver did not see him. The man suffered serious head injuries, broken ribs and other injuries in the pedestrian accident. He was transported to a hospital where he is in very serious condition. The driver of the BMW, a 36-year-old woman from Chula Vista, stopped after the accident. She was arrested and booked for multiple charges, including possession of methamphetamine, bringing methamphetamine into a jail, and driving under the influence of drugs.
DECEMBER 17, 2008 – An unidentified male pedestrian was killed after he was struck by a car Tuesday afternoon in Carlsbad. The San Diego Medical Examiner’s office is working to identify the victim, who is described as a Latino man between the ages of 30 and 40. The pedestrian accident happened when the man attempted to cross El Camino Real north of Cannon Road in Carlsbad. Medics attempted to revive the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The accident is currently being investigated, but police do not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor in the El Camino Real accident.
DECEMBER 16, 2008 – Sheriff’s deputies reported yesterday that a man suffered serious injuries early Monday morning when his Hummer H3 rolled over in North County. The single vehicle rollover accident happened at around 1:40 a.m. on San Elijo Road. The driver was distracted and drove his SUV over a sidewalk and through a wooden fence. The H3 rolled over on the dirt shoulder and landed back on the street. The driver, whose identity has not been released, was taken to Palomar Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. Sheriff’s officials are investigating whether alcohol was a factor in the SUV rollover crash.
DECEMBER 16, 2008 – The CHP has reported an unidentified woman was struck and killed by a Toyota Corolla on I-15 North Monday night. The freeway accident happened near Miramar Way at about 10 p.m. The driver of the Toyota, a 34-year-old woman from Chula Vista, was not injured in the crash. The woman, who has not been identified but is described as being between the ages of 20 and 30, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The cause of the I-15 fatality crash is being investigated.
DECEMBER 15, 2008 – Rainy weather contributed to a rough commute Monday throughout San Diego County. In addition to numerous crashes, one fatality accident was reported near SR-94 and Interstate 15, when an armored truck went off the connector ramp and down an embankment. The crash happened just prior to 7:30 a.m, and the identity of the victim has not been released. A traffic advisory was issued while CHP investigated the State Rounte 94 armored vehicle crash.
DECEMBER 13, 2008 – A teenage girl suffered serious injuries when she was accidentally run over by a car at Scripps Ranch High School on Thursday afternoon. The 16-year-old student was sitting with her friends on the asphalt in the high school parking lot on Treena Street. According to a police officer, the girl’s friends hear a car engine start and got out of the way, but the girl did not get up and remained reclined in the parking lot. The driver, another high school student, ran over the girl. Her injuries included a lacerated liver, facial trauma, and other internal injuries. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
DECEMBER 12, 2008 – The Navy released the identity today of a 22-year-old sailor that died Monday after being seriously injured in a freeway single vehicle crash the day before. Miguel Amando, of Barstow, was driving from Mission Bay Drive onto northbound I-5 last Sunday afternoon when he lost control of his car and went off the side of the road and struck a tree. The time of the crash was about 6:30 p.m. Two passengers, along with Flores, had to be extricated from the vehicle wreckage. The CHP reported at least one other passenger was seriously injured. Armando was taken to UCSD Medical Center where he died Monday evening. The Medical Examiner’s office reported the victim was stationed on board the United States Naval Super Carrier Nimitz.
DECEMBER 11, 2008 – The North County Times reported yesterday that the friends and family of an Oceanside woman killed in a balloon accident at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in October 2007 have reached a wrongful death settlement for $1.4 million dollars. The amount was the limit that the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta was insured for.
The victim, Rosemary Wooley Phillips, of Oceanside, fell 70 feet to her death when she fell out of a hot air balloon that became caught in power lines. The NTSB reported the pilot, Tom Reyes, was distracted when he saw another balloon crash into a house. Phillips’ partner, Cheri Dias, was also injured in the accident along with two friends. Dias and Phillips’ two siblings and the survivors of the crash also sued the companies that owned and operated the balloon and the pilot, Tom Reyes, but he recently died.
Seven people have died in power-line related accidents at the annual balloon fiesta between 1990 and 2008, including two people in 2008. The annual balloon fiesta is considered to be the most widely photographed event in the world.
DECEMBER 8, 2008 – Four people on the ground were killed Monday when a Military F/A-18 Jet crashed the San Diego neighborhood of University City, the fire department has confirmed. One home was completely destroyed on Cather Avenue near Huggins street, and another home was severely damaged in the University City military jet crash. The F18 jet crash happened just before noon near Rose Canyon and Interstate 805. Four people, including two young children were killed in the accident. The victims’ names have not yet been released.
The student pilot, from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 101, was able to eject from the twin-engine plane seconds before the University City military jet crash and was taken to a clinic at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The cause of the deadly FA-18 military jet crash is currently being investigated. The military warplane was coming from the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln when it crashed.
