The emotion and anger was apparent. Family members are demanding answers after an 18 year old driver fatally struck two street vendors. The crash happened in North Highlands. Sheila Berry and Ethel Riley were sisters who commonly set up their shop at the intersection of Watt Avenue and Don Julio Blvd. Rickey Berry stood and prayed at the intersection late Friday and mourned the sudden loss of his sisters. Investigators say an 18-year-old driver was trying to beat the yellow light at the corner of Watt and Don Julio when she lost control of her car. The vehicle went straight through the intersection and plowed right through the street vendor tent.
Family members aren’t holding back as they demand change. ”This is over and over. This isn’t just today. This is a daily thing, an everyday thing down here,” said Kristine Kaestner. Witnesses say the sisters never saw it coming as they never heard the driver hit the brakes. ”We want speed bumps, it has to be. This is crazy,” said Kaestner.
Theresa Long was a regular customer. In tears, she went to the familiar street corner toting some of her favorite past purchases.
Crews were left to clean up the wreckage of a hard lesson learned while family and friends call for change so it never happens again. ”They’re going to have to remember their parents dying under a car because you didn’t want to sit at a light?” said Long. ”I can’t believe this happened, I can’t believe this. It’s hard,” said Berry.
Municipalities codify where commerce is allowed to take place and traffic activity is one of the many considerations. Traffic and pedestrians are seldom a good mix and far too often lead to results like this. While it may not be popular, preventing a mix of traffic and street type vendors must be enforced. The potential for injury and death is simply too great. We mourn for the lives of Sheila and Ethel.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We would be honored to represent you!
