SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – A 63-year-old man was killed in an accident with a patrol car on November 10. Walter Nichols Freeman pulled his bicycle out of a gas station in University City and headed south in the bike lane around 7:15 a.m. Freeman then tried to cross a lane and crashed into oncoming traffic. He hit the patrol car. The car was reportedly responding to another accident at the time. However, the car’s lights and sirens were not activated at the time.

The police officer who was driving at the time of the accident has been with the police department for 18 months. He is currently on paid administrative leave until the accident investigation is complete. The officer did not sustain any injuries in the accident. Debris was scattered across the roadway and the patrol car’s windshield was shattered. Emergency medical service personnel were called to the scene of the accident but Freeman was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a bike helmet and a vest with reflective patches at the time he was hit. San Diego police investigators are currently investigating the collision and its causes.

Our hearts go out to the Freeman family in their time of grieving. It appears that this was a tragic accident. If someone in your family has been killed in an accident caused by the wrongful actions of a third party, you may have a claim for wrongful death.

A wrongful death claim is sometimes available to the surviving loved ones of someone killed in a tragic accident. There are complicated laws governing who is eligible to recover this type of claim. The attorneys at Berman & Riedel, LLP have handled many wrongful death cases with the utmost empathy and legal professionalism. Contact the firm to discuss your case and ensure your legal rights are protected.