55-Year-Old Oscar Medina ID'd as Driver Killed in Merced County Crash on Northbound Interstate 5 near Allen Road on Thanksgiving day
Merced County, California (November 29, 2021) – Authorities have identified the driver who died Thursday night following a traffic collision in Merced County as Oscar Medina, 55, of North Hollywood.
The Thanksgiving day crash was reported to the California Highway Patrol officers at about 7:00 p.m. on November 25 on Interstate 5, just south of Allen Road.
According to the CHP, Medina was driving a 1996 Toyota Camry northbound on Interstate 5 when he swerved into the center median to pass a 2013 Chevrolet Traverse traveling in the No. 1 northbound lane.
The Toyota then traveled back into the left lane and clipped the front of the Chevrolet. After the impact, the Toyota went across both northbound lanes, veered off the road and crashed into a Caltrans fence line before rolling down a high embankment.
Victim in Deadly Car Crash on Interstate 5 in Merced County Identified
Medina had to be extricated from the overturned Toyota and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Chevrolet, a 67-year-old Bakersfield woman, remained on the scene and called 911. She and her two passengers did not suffer any injuries.
Authorities believed drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision.
The accident remains under investigation.
Traffic Collisions in Merced
Being involved in a motor vehicle accident can be a traumatic experience for the victims and their families. According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 1500 traffic crashes were reported in Merced in 2020, claiming the lives of about 50 people. Statistics show that the main cause of most of these auto accidents is human error. This includes dangerous acts such as; distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, reckless driving, bad weather, wrong-way driving, and failure to observe traffic laws.
When you are involved in a traffic collision, you and your family may be forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars on medical bills, property damages, and maybe funeral services, while also enduring endless mental and emotional suffering.
Although the exact cause of the accident above was not immediately determined, the authorities will continue to gather more information, including witness statements to establish the cause of the accident. However, Pacific Attorney Group's managing attorney P. Mark Shayani believes that a separate and independent investigation into the crash is equally important. “A car accident attorney will investigate, research, and review every case thoroughly and explain to clients their rights and answer all questions to their satisfaction,” he said.
Victims of traffic accidents have an enforceable right under law to full and fair compensation for the costs and losses they suffer. Whether they receive what the law provides for them or whether they receive any compensation at all depends on how well their attorneys can pursue their claims through the intricacies of the state civil legal processes.
Call a California Auto Accident Attorney Today
If you have been involved in a traffic accident and got injured, it is important to get in touch with a litigator immediately for guidance. At Pacific Attorney Group, we specialize in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. We assist accident victims and their families to seek justice. Our attorneys will pursue the justice you deserve and will work hard to obtain fair compensation for your losses, injuries, and suffering.