PROTECTING THE LEGAL INTERESTS OF INJURED HAWAII RESIDENTS AND VISITORS SINCE 1973

Hit and run leave one dead, 11 injured in Venice

On Behalf of | Aug 5, 2013 | Car Accidents |

Authorities in Los Angeles are still attempting to figure out the reason behind the Saturday night tragedy on the Venice boardwalk that left one women, a newlywed from Italy, dead after a hit and run by a man who appeared to deliberately drive onto the boardwalk and strike pedestrians.

The mayor of Los Angeles said he would work with members of the City Council to prevent this kind of tragedy from recurring. It would be necessary to engineer the entrances of the boardwalk to prevent easy access by unauthorized vehicles, but would still permit access by emergency vehicles.

Car accidents involving hit and run typically are accidental, caused by drunk drivers, those distracted by a cellphone or texting or caused by a medical condition, such as a heart attack or loss of consciousness.

This incident was unusual, in that it appears that the driver intentionally drove down the boardwalk with the purpose of killing and injuring innocent bystanders.

A report notes that one resident said that “a couple of times a year” a car inadvertently drives on to the boardwalk.

This would go the question of the foreseeability of this type of accident. If it was foreseeable that this type of incident could occur, it is possible that Los Angeles could bear some liability for the failure to prevent vehicles from gaining uncontrolled access to the boardwalk.

In addition to the fatality, one person suffered critical injuries, two were in serious condition and another eight were in less serious condition.

Source: CBSNew.com, “Vendors, witnesses recall Venice hit-and-run horror,” CBS/AP, August 5, 2013

Archives