Long Beach Car Accident Kills Motorist

A motorist died on Palo Verde Road in Long Beach after the vehicle the driver was in lost control and slammed into a parked car Thursday morning.

Homeowner Rick Sanchez told Press Telegram that it was only a matter of time until someone died on that stretch of road in front of his house.

The now deceased driver was driving on the road in front of Sanchez’s home in a black 1959 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia when he lost control and crashed at around 1:15 a.m. According to authorities when the driver lost control of the vehicle it veered and it crashed into a parked 1988 Ford Bronco at Atherton Street. The car wreck then caused the vehicle to ignite.

People in the vicinity rushed out to the scene of the accident. Sanchez along with a group of neighbors rushed to the aid the man that was unconscious behind the wheel of his vehicle to extricate him.

Sanchez said the man failed to regain consciousness while they made the attempt to pull him out.

Collisions like the one that happened on Palo Verde Road in Long Beach happen too often according to witnesses.

“I’ve been saying for four years that it’s only a matter of time until it ends in a fatality,” Sanchez told the press. “And last night it happened.”

When authorities arrived to the scene of the accident and they got to the driver, police spokesman Sgt. David Marander told reporters that the driver was pronounced dead. And Long Beach firefighters extinguished the fire.

Sanchez’s wife was one of the first people to rush outside and try to help the victim while the other neighbors attempted to pull out the trapped person.

“There was no response of movement,” he said. “We couldn’t get close enough. The flames were pretty intense.”

Detectives investigated the crash and had both sides of the Avenue closed between Atherton and East Los Santos Drive, per Marander. Cleanup crews hustled to get the area cleaned soon after.

The driver who died in the crash has yet to be identified; it will take the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office several days before they positively identify the driver.

Car accident awareness is important. Sanchez told reporters that he hopes that this incident could spark some positive dialogue to get things done not only for the safety of the community but for the safety of those who travel their roads as well.

If you’ve been involved in a vehicle collision, give AA Accident Attorneys a call. You will get a free case evaluation when you consult with our Long Beach accident lawyer.

 

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