15-Year-Old Sacramento Dancer Killed in Highway Truck Accident
A member of the El Camino High School varsity dance team was killed last April in a tragic Sacramento County truck accident after a pickup truck slammed into the back of a car in which she was a passenger. The out-of-control pickup truck forced the car underneath a semi-truck that had applied its brakes just moments before the crash.
The driver and a second passenger in the struck vehicle, as well as the driver of the semi-truck, all sustained non life-threatening injuries. The at-fault driver of the pickup truck, Patrick Montgomery, 60, sustained minor injuries.
According to local authorities, Montgomery’s pickup truck slammed into the back of a car in which the 15-year-old was riding after the cars driver slowed down in response to a braking big rig. Because Montgomery was driving his pickup truck at an unsafe speed, he was unable to stop before colliding with the rear end of the car containing the teenaged victim. The teen, who was an aspiring hip-hop dancer, died at the scene of the crash.
The rear-end collision occurred at about 4:00 on a Sunday afternoon in a northbound lane of the Capital City Freeway, just north of the H Street on-ramp. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) closed the northbound lanes for several hours after the crash.
CHP is investigating whether Montgomery’s speeding was a result of distracted driving. Currently, Montgomery is facing charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. He is expected to make his first court appearance on Jan. 4. The victims mother hopes that her child’s death wont be in vain and is pleading for justice.
This tragic fatal collision is one of many recent highway accidents involving semi-trucks that has California residents concerned for their safety and the safety of their loved ones. In 2009 alone, 262 motorists died as a result of semi-truck related accidents on California’s roadways.
Tractor-trailer truck collisions have also caused many Californians to suffer injuries severe enough to warrant months or years of physical and emotional rehabilitation.
Because of the amount of trauma associated with semi-truck collisions, many accident survivors are left with questions regarding the truck accident; namely, who is liable for the accident and who is responsible for the survivors mounting medical bills.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a semi-truck accident, its wise to contact a knowledgeable Sacramento truck accident lawyer at Arnold Law Firm as soon as possible. For over forty years, we have been helping truck accident victims receive the justice and compensation they deserve.
Call (916) 777-7777 or fill out our form for a FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION today to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in Sacramento and learn more about your legal options.