In a pre-arranged encounter, a man accused of causing a wreck that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old woman surrendered to authorities with both the California Highway Patrol and the district attorney's office in Sacramento County.
The accident occurred shortly before 1 a.m., on Feb. 15 on Hwy. 99. The young woman and her friend were on a double date with two young men. Both women were seated in the back seat of a Buick sedan headed southward near the off ramp for the 12th Ave. exit in Sacramento.
As the two couples were headed back after their movie date, they were sideswiped by the man driving a BMW SUV. The impact caused the Buick to strike a guardrail and then veer into the path of a Nissan before flipping over.
In addition to the passenger pronounced dead at the accident scene, the woman passenger in the rear seat was severely injured. The Buick driver and the other man were uninjured, as were the two occupants in the Nissan. A passenger in the BMW was taken to an area hospital with minor injuries.
According to reports from CHP officers, after the collision, the BMW driver jumped out and ran off. He surrendered hours later at the Sacramento district attorney's office and was charged with vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run. According to reports, the accident occurred on the man's birthday.
If someone causes a wreck that seriously injures or kills someone else, he or she can face both criminal and civil penalties for his or her negligence. It is not necessary, however, for a driver to be charged or convicted of any criminal charges in order for injured parties to pursue civil justice.
Source: The Sacramento Bee, "Suspect surrenders after deadly three-car crash in Sacramento," Denny Walsh and Dale Kasler, Feb. 15, 2016