Man in Wheelchair Killed in Car Accident

Photo originally owned by The Press Enterprise.

A man in a motorized wheelchair who was crossing at an intersection in Eastvale, California was killed after being hit by a car, reports said.

According to Riverside County sheriff’s officials, the accident was reported at around 8 in the morning last August 19. The accident occurred at the busy intersection of Hammer Avenue and Limonite Avenue.

Based on initial investigation, the car was traveling eastbound on Limonite when it struck the middle-aged man in a wheelchair who was then crossing the street heading south at Hamner. 

Shortly thereafter, the driver of the car stopped its vehicle, but was not ticketed nor arrested, according to Sgt. James Woodland of Riverside County Sherriff’s Office.

Investigating authorities did not immediately release any information about the man, but witnesses at nearby establishments identified and described the man as a cheerful middle-aged guy despite his disabling condition. Furthermore, employees from a nearby shopping center claimed that the man was a regular customer at the grocery and always had a smile on his face.

While the investigation was ongoing, deputies closed the intersection and re-opened it at around 1:30 in the afternoon the same day.

Reports said that several pedestrians in the area claimed that such intersections are dangerous, since a lot of motorists fail to reduce speed and observe proper safety precautions when approaching or crossing the area.

According to a Los Angeles accident attorney, such observations are true, given the huge number of undisciplined motorists. Unfortunately, despite the alarming numbers of fatal accidents that occur in intersections, as well as the strict traffic laws enforced by traffic regulators, motorists still fail to make positive changes regarding their driving behaviors. The results of such negligence are debilitating, and sometimes fatal, vehicle accidents.