SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – The teenager who caused the fatal accident in Santee early Sunday morning had been involved in a hit and run accident just moments earlier according to authorities. The 17-year-old was driving a black Ford Ranger on Parks Avenue south of El Cajon Boulevard just before 6:30 a.m. It was there that she rear-ended a woman who had just pulled out of a driveway.
21-year-old Taya Chase, a San Diego State University student, said she had just gotten home and was pulling her Chevrolet Cavalier out of the driveway to find a place to park on the street when she was hit. Her Cavalier was forced off the road and onto the sidewalk on impact. The car hit three utility boxes and caused a power outage in the neighborhood. The car then slammed through a fence and ended up back on the road.
Chase said she was “in shock” when she was hit because the truck just plowed right through her car and appeared to by going about 70 miles per hour. Chase followed the truck a short distance to El Cajon Boulevard, where it had stopped in the middle of an intersection. Chase said she pulled alongside the driver and got a “scary glimpse” of her face. She said the driver looked right through her. Chase said the driver was pale and had dark hair. Chase was able to memorize the license plate number and call 911.
Another driver who saw the hit-and-run followed the speeding truck onto I-8 and north on state Route 125 where he witnessed the later fatal accident. Just before 7 a.m., police were able to determine that the license plate of the truck involved in the accident that killed 53-year-old Pamela Sue Marabeas, was the same as the plate of the truck in the hit and run. Marabeas was pronounced dead at the scene of the second accident. She worked at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista as a radiology technician. She was on her way to work at the time of the accident.
The teen driver was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Her name has not yet been released. Chase went to the hospital for testing after the accident. She suffered neck and back pain. Her car was totaled. Chase is thankful she was not more seriously injured and said she feels very lucky but also very sad for the other family.
Successful litigation following a serious vehicular accident requires special knowledge not only concerning California tort laws, but also regarding scene investigation, collecting evidence, tracking witnesses, and understanding the complexities of insurance coverage. The attorneys at Berman & Riedel, LLP have a long history of success in these complicated cases. If you have been seriously injured in a vehicle accident, you can learn more about personal injury law at www.sandiego-personalinjurylaw.com. Additionally, contact Berman & Riedel, LLP for more information about how to ensure your legal rights are protected.
