Fatal accident shuts down both sides of highway
On April 5, the California Highway Patrol reported a fatal motorcycle accident in Walnut Creek. The crash took place near the North Main Street off-ramp on Interstate 680 shortly before 12:41 p.m. A motorcyclist was ejected from a motorcycle and thrown from one side of the highway to the other after colliding with a vehicle.
The motorcyclist was taken to John Muir Medical Center with severe injuries, and emergency responders extricated a motorist from a vehicle that was not involved in the initial collision. The injuries subsequently proved to be fatal. Initial reports did not provide the identity of the decedent.
Traffic on the highway was blocked in both directions after the fatal motorcycle crash. Drivers were notified about the shut down by a Sigalert at 1:01 p.m. The northbound side of the interstate was reopened at 2:48 p.m., and the southbound side of the interstate was reopened at 3:04 p.m. It is unclear what caused the fatal accident or whether any criminal charges have been filed.
Inattentive drivers sometimes ignore motorcycle riders, and the results of such oversights can be fatal. The family of a motorcyclist who was killed by a negligent driver may want to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit seeking the recovery of funeral and burial expenses and other appropriate damages. If a motorcyclist survives a collision with a motorist, the victim may choose to seek compensation for medical expenses and lost wages. A motorcycle crash attorney can often demonstrate that a motorist should bear responsibility for the victim’s losses through the use of the official investigation report and the testimony of eyewitnesses.
Source: Walnut Creek Patch, “Walnut Creek Motorcycle Crash Shuts Down I-680 In Both Directions,” Lindsey Hickman, April 5, 2016