California woman dies after driving the wrong way on highway

 Posted on February 12, 2015 in Car Accidents

A fiery crash in Fremont resulted after a 22-year-old woman drove north on Interstate Highway 880 in the southbound lanes. The California Highway Patrol received a report of the driver going the wrong way shortly before the call about an accident came in.

The woman's 1999 Volvo hit a Chevrolet Silverado truck on the interstate near Thornton Avenue. Her car was burning when authorities arrived on scene. The acting deputy chief for the Fremont Fire Department reported that firefighters were unable to rescue the woman who was trapped in her vehicle. She later died. The accident report stated that she was from Santa Clara, but her identity was withheld so her family could be notified.

Rescue workers did manage to remove the three passengers of the pickup truck that was also threatened by the burning car. The passengers had major injuries. The CHP continues to investigate the accident. Where or how the woman entered the highway on the wrong side has not yet been determined. Investigators have not eliminated the possibility of drugs or alcohol contributing to the driving error.

In a situation like this, surviving injured victims may face significant medical costs and lost income. A personal injury lawsuit could possibly gain compensation to cover those expenses when it can be shown that a negligent driver contributed to the accident. Someone with serious injuries might choose to work with a personal injury attorney to gain access to the accident report information. An attorney might be able to see if the evidence supports a claim of negligence against another driver. A lawsuit could result in a win in court or achieve a settlement out of court.

Source: KGO-TV, "Wrong-way driver dies in crash on I-880 in Fremont," Feb. 6, 2015