San Diego Personal Injury Attorney Blog

FALLBROOK - A head-on collision Wednesday afternoon left two people with potentially life-threatening injuries, and a third person with serious injuries, the Fallbrook Village News reported. The accident, which involved a Ford F150 pickup truck and a Mitsubishi sedan, was reported at 3:32 p.m. on Wednesday, February 23, 2011. The driver of the Ford, Joel Rivera, 32, was travelling northbound on South Mission Road when he fell asleep at the wheel near Big Oak Ranch. His truck swerved into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with the Mitsubishi sedan occupied by Eugene Bagwan, 55, of Lancaster, and Ricardo Totanes, 66, of Fallbrook. Both Bagwan and Totanes suffered life-threatening injuries. Totanes was flown to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. Bagwan and Rivera were taken by ambulance to the Trauma Center at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido.

Cause of the February 23rd Crash

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) - the agency investigating the collision - told the Village News that the driver of the Ford fell asleep at the wheel. Although the official cause of the crash is still under investigation, if news reports are accurate, the driver of the Ford is likely responsible for the collision. The CHP will surely look into why the 32-year-old driver fell asleep. Did he suffer from a medical condition, was he working too many hours, or was he under the influence of alcohol or impaired by drugs? Hopefully, the investigation will reveal exactly what happened, and why.

San Diego County Car Accident Injury Liability

If the driver of the Ford is determined to be responsible for this violent crash, he may also liable for the serious injuries sustained by the two occupants of the Mitsubishi sedan. If the pickup truck driver was working when the accident occurred, his employer could also be responsible. After a major injury collision such as this one on South Mission Road, the family members of the two badly injured men would be well-advised to speak with a knowledgeable and experienced San Diego car accident attorney. A skilled lawyer can help the victims and their families understand and protect their rights to be compensated for their serious injuries, including present and future medical care expenses, lost earnings, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other damages.