Jennifer Jaime, 10, was killed in a car accident after the vehicle she was riding in was struck by another vehicle that was traveling the wrong way on the Highway 101, near Orcutt, the morning of April 3, 2010. According to a news report in the Santa Maria Times, California Highway Patrol officials believe 25-year-old Antonio Betancourt-Bravo was the wrong-way driver who clipped the Mercedes carrying Jennifer and her father, Francisco Jaime, 40. Jennifer was sleeping and wasn't wearing a seatbelt. She was thrown from the Mercedes as it hit the median and rolled over from the impact. Betancourt-Bravo fled the scene of the accident. Police believe he was under the influence at the time of the crash.

Tragic Car Accident

Immediately after the initial crash, 47-year-old Joseph Brown, who was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle south on the Highway 101, struck the overturned Mercedes and was ejected from the bike. Both he and Francisco Jaime were transported to a local hospital with major injuries, but are expected to survive.

I offer my deepest condolences to the Jaime family for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Not only have they lost a child, but they are also caring for another seriously injured family member. Please keep them in your prayers. I also wish the injured motorcyclist, Brown, the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Car Accident Statistics

According to CHP's 2008 traffic accident statistics, there were four fatalities and 469 injuries involving car accidents in Santa Maria. Interestingly, all four traffic accident fatalities that year in Santa Maria involved DUI collisions. In Santa Barbara County as a whole, car accidents claimed 35 lives and injured 1,952 people in 2008.

Laws and Liability Issues

I hope officials apprehend the hit-and-run driver, Betancourt-Bravo, who is believed to have fled to Mexico with the help of friends. Both, driving under the influence and hit-and-run are serious crimes under California law. Motorists who are involved in traffic collisions are required to remain at the scene of the accident and wait for authorities to arrive. They are also required by the law to get help for injured victims.

Injured victims in such cases would be well-advised to seek the counsel of a reputed California personal injury lawyer, who has the experience and an excellent track record of holding negligent drivers financially responsible for their actions. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will also be able to advise victims and their families about how their own car insurance policy applies in a hit-and-run collision or in an incident where the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

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