2009 May Archive

Date:  May 29‚ 2009

Location:  Mission Avenue and Douglas Drive‚ Oceanside‚ CA

Type:  Three motor vehicle accident‚ involving cars and trucks

Outcome:  Four people injured and hospitalized

A Friday evening car accident in Oceanside sent two teenagers and two adults to the hospital after a three vehicle car crash occurred at the intersection of Mission Avenue and Douglas Drive.  The auto accident involved a Hyundai Tiberon‚ a Chevrolet Silverado truck‚ and a GMC Yukon SUV and occurred just after 10 p.m.

The cause of the car accident is under investigation by Oceanside police.

Date:  May 20‚ 2009

Location:  SR-76 just east of I-15‚ just north of Escondido

Type:  Motorcycle accident

Outcome:  One person seriously injured

Robert Early‚ 36‚ or Perris was seriously injured after losing control of his 2007 Suzuki motorcycle as he rounded a curve along SR-76 at too great a rate of speed.  He was attempting to pass a truck at the time and had crossed the double yellow line.  He suffered severe head‚ chest‚ and abdominal trauma as a result of the motorcycle crash.

Date:  May 20‚ 2009

Location:  SR-78 just west of Sycamore Avenue

Type:  Motorcycle accident

Outcome:  One person seriously injured

An unidentified motorcyclist was taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido after his motorcycle collided with a coyote crossing SR-78.  The driver’s condition is currently unknown.  However‚ the CHP reports that the coyote was killed as a result of the crash.  The motorcycle accident was reported just after 8:00 a.m.

Date:  May 21‚ 2009

Location:  Northbound I-805 south of Nobel Drive‚ La Jolla | UTC | San Diego

Type:  Multiple vehicle car crash

Outcome:  Two people injured

A late-night‚ early morning car accident tied up northbound I-805 from 4:20 a.m. until 7:00 a.m. Thursday morning after a 21-year-old Imperial Beach man lost control of his 1999 Chevrolet Malibu‚ which careened across all lanes of traffic and came to rest facing south near the center median.  The Malibu was then struck by 3 other cars as the driver attempted to exit his car.

The driver of the Malibu was taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital with serious injuries to both legs and possible head trauma.

Thankfully the California Highway Patrol reported that DUI arrests and motor vehicle fatalities were low during the Memorial Day Weekend.  There were no deaths from pedestrian accidents or bicycle crashes in San Diego County over the weekend.  Unfortunately‚ three motorcyclists were killed.

Statewide‚ only 15 people died in motor vehicle accidents over the weekend.  Six of the 15 people killed were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.

UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest and Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest were both fined the maximum allowed by state law by California state health regulators for significant medical mistakes.

UCSD was fined after its’ staff left a sponge inside a patient that required the patient to undergo a second surgery two months later to remove the sponge.  Scripps Mercy was fined for using a faulty respirator that left the patient unable to breathe and caused him to suffer heart failure.

These two San Diego hospitals were two of eleven California hospitals that received the maximum fine.

Date:  May 16‚ 2009

Location:  Winecreek Court‚ 4S Ranch neighborhood of San Diego‚ CA

Type:  Premises Liability‚ Negligent Supervision

Outcome:  One Killed

A North Carolina boy visiting family in San Diego died after drowning in his grandmother’s pool.  The boy‚ Malachi Gardner‚ was found in the deep end of the pool early Saturday evening by a babysitter.  Unfortunately‚ the babysitter could not swim and could not reach the young boy.

Gardner was transported to Pomerado Hospital and later transferred to Rady Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead early Sunday.

Our prayers go out to his family.

Date:  May 13‚ 2009

Location:  Eucalyptus Avenue near Escondido Avenue‚ Vista‚ CA

Type:  Car Accident

Outcome:  One injured

A 48-year-old woman was injured after driving off the road and striking trees and telephone polls as she careened down the hillside.  The woman was knocked unconscious and was luckily found by San Diego Sheriff’s deputies.  She was flown to Palomar Medical Center to treat several severe injuries.

It is unknown whether the woman was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Date:  May 14‚ 2009

Location:  Skyline Ranch Country Club Mobile Home Park‚ 18200 block of Paradise Mountain Road‚ Valley Center‚ CA

Type:  Pedestrian Accident‚ Run over by Car

Outcome:  One Dead

Donna Souther was killed when her best friend accidently pulled her car forward‚ pinning Souther against her mobile home.  Souther was about to go with her best friend and her husband to the airport when her friend put the car in "drive" rather than in reverse.

Souther died late Thursday from crush injuries from being run over by the car.  She died at Palomar Medical Center.

Date:  May 9‚ 2009

Location:  Valley Center Road near SR-76‚ Valley Center‚ CA

Type:  Auto Accident

Outcome:  Two Injured

A female driver made a left turn in front of an oncoming car driven by a San Diego County Sheriff’s deputy.  Unfortunately‚ there was not enough space between the two vehicles and the Sheriff’s deputy collided with the woman’s car as it was turning.

The impact was so strong that both vehicles travelled for several feet before coming to rest.  Fortunately‚ neither injury was fatal.