California motorists who disregard traffic laws place other travelers at risk. While a driver who makes an illegal maneuver on the road might wind up getting a ticket, there is nothing than can be done to undo injuries that he or she may have caused another person if reckless driving behavior resulted in a collision. That appears to be exactly what happened at approximately 3:30 p.m. on a recent Monday in Salinas.
Police who were dispatched to the scene later stated that there were two vehicles involved in the crash. One was a van, and the other was a motorcycle. It was reportedly the driver of the van who disregarded traffic laws, attempting an illegal U-turn, during which his vehicle slammed into an oncoming motorcycle.
Police say the driver of the van fled the scene
The impact of the crash caused fatal injuries to the motorcyclist, who was declared dead at the scene. Police were not immediately able to speak with the driver of the van because he did not remain at the scene. However, officers later made contact with him and took him into police custody. Investigators say they are trying to determine whether drugs or alcohol were causal factors in the collision.
Van driver was witnessed acting reckless before the crash
California police also stated that there is evidence to show that the driver of the van had made multiple reckless maneuvers on the road before attempting the U-turn that caused his vehicle to crash into the motorcyclist. In such situations, it is not uncommon for a driver deemed responsible for a fatality to face criminal charges in court in connection with reckless driving behavior. It is also not uncommon for an immediate family member of a deceased accident victim to pursue justice in civil court by filing a wrongful death claim.