California man arrested after causing motorcycle accident
Police in Fremont are indicating that alcohol is a possible factor in a car accident that left a motorcyclist dead on Tuesday, Mar. 25. According to the police report, the incident began when a 23-year-old Taco Bell customer began acting “belligerent” and “intoxicated” while going through the drive-thru at around 1 a.m. The man allegedly attempted to pay for the food using a healthcare card. A restaurant employee eventually called the police, but the man attempted to flee when officers arrived.
The man drove his Mini Cooper through a red light while trying to escape. Police chased the driver for about two miles, and he eventually crashed into a utility pole. When the car erupted in flames, the man tried to flee through a field. He was eventually apprehended by authorities.
At about the same time as the arrest, two individuals approached officers to alert them that a body and a motorcycle were lying near an intersection. The motorcyclist, later revealed to be a Marine who had just come home from Afghanistan, was hit by the speeding driver in his attempt to flee police. Police indicated that the collision must have been particularly violent, as the motorcyclist “flew hundreds of yards.”
Although police waited to release the biker’s identity, friends and family eventually gathered at the scene. The intersection where the fatal motorcycle accident occurred did not reopen until around 4 p.m. The driver of the vehicle is now facing charges for resisting arrest and felony DUI, though it may take weeks before investigators can know for sure just how intoxicated the driver was at the time.
This accident is particularly sad when considering the victim’s status as a veteran and the driver’s gross irresponsibility. However, it’s important to remember that every fatal traffic accident is a tragedy. Any California family that has lost a loved one in such a collision might be entitled to financial relief for expenses such as funeral costs. Speak with a qualified Sacramento motorcycle collision lawyer to learn more.
Source: NBC Bay Area, “Police: Taco Bell Customer in Fremont “Belligerent,” Arrested After Fatal Motorcycle Accident” Christie Smith, Shelby Hansen and Kris Sanchez, Mar. 26, 2014