Alleged hit-and-run leaves one woman dead, her sister injured
Life changed in the blink of an eye for a family earlier this week after a fatal car accident on a Van Nuys street. According to police, a 33-year-old man allegedly lost control of his 1995 Lexus and crashed into two sisters who were standing near a parked pickup truck alongside the rear passenger door.
The older sister, 39, was taken to a Mission Hills hospital with severe internal injuries. Police say she died a few minutes after arriving at the hospital. The younger woman, 33, was tending to her 7-week-old daughter at the time of the accident. The baby, who had been secured in an infant seat, was not injured. However, her mother was thrown several feet and landed on the sidewalk, according to authorities. She suffered a broken ankle and other injuries and was taken to a Northridge hospital for treatment.
The driver suspected of the hit-and-run accident fled the scene on foot after abandoning his car, police said. He was then apprehended at his residence, which was less than a block away from the scene of the accident. Police were holding the suspect at the Van Nuys Jail on $1.1 million bail on suspicion of murder in connection to the case as well as two other outstanding warrants.
As this terrible case shows, events caused by drivers who might be operating their vehicles negligently can have a permanent effect on people who had no reason to think their lives would be altered. Individuals who suffer traumatic losses often seek qualified attorneys to represent their interests.
Source: Los Angeles Daily News, “Suspected hit-and-run driver kills one sister, seriously injures other in Van Nuys,” Dec. 5, 2011