SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – A Southcrest couple lost their son in an accident with a garbage truck on Friday. The boy has been identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office as Jobani Louangxaysongxham. Jovani’s mother was trying to put him and an older sibling into a vehicle parked in the driveway of their home around noon. The child saw his father across the street, according to San Diego Police Lt. Ken Hubbs. Jovani began to run across 43rd Street when he ran straight into the path of an Allied Waste Services truck.
A passenger in the truck warned the driver but he was unable to swerve or stop in time. Jovani went under the vehicle and was hit by its rear wheels. He died at the scene. Riashe Rodriguez and her mother were driving home when they encountered the crash scene. At the time, the father was hitting the truck and police were trying to control him. Neighbors and family members tried to console Jovani’s mother while she watched the accident aftermath from the front porch of the family home. The road was closed for several hours while firefighters worked to get the boy’s body from under the 50,000 lb truck, which was loaded with nine tons of garbage at the time. Crews used two 70 ton air bags stacked on top of one another to lift the rear of the truck three inches off the ground, according to Adam Villaescusa, a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department engineer. Through this process, they were finally able to remove the remains.
Our thoughts are with this family in their time of great need. The untimely loss of a family member is always life changing for the survivors. If you have lost a loved one in an accident caused by someone else’s reckless or negligent behavior, you may wish to speak with a wrongful death lawyer.
The plaintiff’s attorneys at Berman & Riedel, LLP in San Diego, California, have a history of success in wrongful death litigation throughout the state. Our lawyers are happy to set up a case consultation with you any time. You may contact the firm, or visit www.bermanlawyers.com to learn more about wrongful death law.
