SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – Two San Diego Police officers were injured and the driver of a pickup truck was left in critical condition after a high speed crash in City Heights. The truck driver ran a stop sign at about 50 miles per hour and hit the right front side of a patrol car at the intersection of Altadena and Orange avenues around 4:30 a.m. The impact pushed the engine block about two to three feet into the car. Sergeant Jim Reschke said that one-tenth of a second more and the officer would have been killed.
San Diego Police first saw the gray GMC pickup traveling the wrong way on 43d Street near Landis Street and tried to pull it over. However, the truck sped off and police lost sight of it. Police believe the truck headed north and possibly went east on El Cajon Boulevard, reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour, before it turned onto Altadena. The two officers were driving west at a slow speed on Orange and had just entered the intersection when the truck went through the stop sign with its lights out.
The impact spun the patrol car around before it finally came to rest on the south side of Orange Avenue on the sidewalk pushed against a fence. Firefighters had to pry open the passenger’s side door to remove one of the injured officers, who was unconscious at the time. The other officer was able to get out by himself but then lied on the ground. The truck also spun around several times before hitting several parked cars in front of the Park Gardens apartments. Painting equipment flew from the truck bed and damaged 13 vehicles overall. One of the truck’s tires flew over a 12-foot-high fence. The pickup finally came to rest facing north on Altadena several feet from the intersection. The bed of the truck was completely broken off and was upright next to the driver’s side door.
The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle and was found unconscious on the ground. The officers, who were assigned to the Mid City division, were both hospitalized. Thankfully, their injuries are believed to be non-life threatening. The passenger officer suffered a concussion and a right leg injury. The driver had left arm and lower back injuries. The driver of the truck is currently in a medically induced coma. Police have not yet confirmed his identity but believe he is 30 years old. They are currently awaiting test results to see whether he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Reschke said it is also possible the truck driver may have hit other vehicles before this accident.
Our hearts go out to the injured officers, as well as all those who suffered property damage in this accident. We also hope that no one else was injured by this driver prior to this horrific accident. Serious car accidents such as these are often life changing for those injured. If your injuries were caused by a reckless or negligent third party, you may be able to recover your medical expenses, lost wages, and sometimes pain and suffering.
Berman & Riedel, LLP is a plaintiff’s personal injury law firm in San Diego, California. Our lawyers handle exclusively the cases of those who have been seriously injured or lost loved ones in accidents. Contact the firm by phone at 838 350 8855 or through the main firm website at www.bermanlawyers.com to set up a case consultation. There is no charge for your initial meeting.
