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Oakland Community Rallies for Improved Street Safety Following Deadly Hit and Run

By Kelly Balamuth on November 15, 2019

A fatal hit and run pedestrian accident occurred in an Oakland school zone on October 1, 2019, as reported by CBS SF. Huong Truong was walking her four-year-old niece home from Garfield Elementary School when they were both struck by a car at Foothill Boulevard and 22nd Avenue. The driver left the scene of the accident. The four-year-old niece was injured, and Huong Truong died at the scene.

Oakland Teachers and Families Call for Road Safety Improvements

On October 4, three days after the fatal hit and run accident, teachers and families in the Oakland community protested outside Garfield Elementary School. The community demanded that the city take measures to improve safety, including:

  • Crosswalk warning lights
  • Cameras at the crosswalk
  • Adult crossing guards

Garfield Elementary teachers said drivers have been ignoring the speed limit for years. One teacher commented that there so much traffic in the area, it is difficult for drivers to know they are in a school zone.

Reward for Information About the Hit and Run Driver

Huong Truong’s niece was treated for her injuries. Police and other have offered a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the arrest of the hit and run driver who fatally injured this Oakland woman.

Criminal Penalties for Hit and Run in California

Although hit and run is always a serious offense, California recognizes the difference between hit and run that causes property damage and hit and run that causes bodily injury. A driver who causes property damage and leaves the scene of the accident will be charged with a misdemeanor and face penalties that may include up to six months jail time, a fine of up to $1,000, and restitution to the owner of the damaged property.

Hit and run that causes injury or death will likely be charged as a felony. If caught, arrested, and convicted, the hit and run driver who killed the Oakland woman near Garfield Elementary School could be facing up to three years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000, or both. In addition to the criminal penalties, surviving family members of the woman who was killed may be entitled to bring a wrongful death claim for damages against the hit and run driver in civil court.

Seeking Justice for Injuries Caused by Negligent Drivers

Motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians all face the risk of injury or death in a traffic crash. Negligent drivers who are distracted, fatigued, intoxicated, or driving aggressively put others on the roadways in danger every day.

If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a traffic accident caused by a negligent driver, call Balamuth Law at (925) 254-1234 or toll-free at (888) 254-1234 today. Our Oakland personal injury attorneys can help you seek justice and hold negligent drivers accountable for the harm they have caused. We are dedicated legal advocates who will vigorously pursue the maximum compensation available under the law for your losses.

 

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Posted in: Pedestrian Accident

Attorney Kelly Balamuth was profiled in the
September 2013 Issue of Plaintiff Magazine.

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