Authorities have identified a bicyclist killed in an Orange County car accident the afternoon of November 7, 2009 as 26-year-old Christopher Alan Winkel. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Huntington Beach police found Winkel lying on the roadway, injured and unconscious, at the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Banning Avenue. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. An investigation is being conducted by police to determine who or what caused this fatal bicycle accident. If you saw this accident or have any information about it, please contact Huntington Beach police at 714-536-5666.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of young Christopher Alan Winkel for their irreparable loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who is grieving this man's loss. Please keep them in your prayers.
Orange County Bicycle Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic accident statistics, one person died and 105 were injured as a result of bicycle accident cases in Huntington Beach, California. In Orange County as a whole, 16 deaths and 1,020 injuries were reported as a result of bicycle accidents in 2007. Also, countywide, car accidents claimed 178 lives and injured 14,185 during the same period.
In this particular incident, based on the news report, there are many questions that need to be answered in this case. The news report suggests that this might be a hit-and-run accident. We don't know where Winkel was riding his bike at the time of the accident. Was he crossing the street? Was he in a crosswalk or at an intersection? Was the driver who hit him negligent in some way?
Possible Hit-and-Run Car Accident
If the driver did commit a hit-and-run, if he or she left the scene of the accident, then he or she could face hit-and-run felony charges in connection with this incident. Leaving the scene of an accident is a major crime in California. In such cases, negligent drivers can also be held civilly liable for the victim's injuries or wrongful death.
The Winkel family would be well advised to consult an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who has had consistent success in holding negligent drivers accountable for their wrongdoing. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free and comprehensive consultation to injured victims and their families.
We are 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 a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.
