California police chase results in highway closure

A vehicle fleeing a police officer in Gilroy crashed through a fence on East Ninth Street and caused a four-vehicle crash on southbound U.S. Highway 101 on Jan. 30, 2016. The police report stated that an officer had first spotted the vehicle speeding on Chestnut Street and then attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle evaded police at high speed and hit a tree in a parking lot before driving off.

For a short time police said they lost track of the vehicle until it broke through a fence onto the highway and hit three other vehicles. According to police, multiple suspects were in the speeding vehicle. They either attempted to run away or were thrown from the vehicle when it stopped against the highway median.

Two suspects were recovered in the northbound lane. They were seriously injured. One witness said a car hit one suspect. Police said they were not certain if more people had been in the fleeing vehicle. Four occupants of the other three vehicles in the wreck suffered injuries, but police said the victims were expected to live.

A sudden car accident like this could cause a victim to miss work and incur high medical expenses. If an impaired, distracted or otherwise negligent driver was the cause of the motor vehicle accident, the injured victim could seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit filed with the assistance of an attorney. Damages that are frequently sought by a victim of an auto accident include the expenses of medical car and treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Source: Gilroy Patch, "6 Hospitalized After Pursuit End in 101 Crash", Bea Karnes, Jan. 31, 2016