Thursday morning crash was at the intersection of Stowell and Bradley roads
SANTA MARIA, CA, (August 01, 2024) - The Santa Maria Police Department says a husband and wife were fatally injured Thursday morning in a two-vehicle accident.
Richard and Marichu Kern were fatally injured Thursday morning in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Stowell and Bradley roads in Santa Maria.
According to authorities, a vehicle heading eastbound along Stowell Road blew through a red light and slammed into an SUV traveling southbound on Bradley Road at approximately 9:15 a.m.
The driver of the SUV, 68-year-old Randall Richard Kern, and a passenger in the vehicle, 55-year-old Marichu Polancos Kern, tragically died from injuries they sustained in the crash.
The incident remains under investigation.
CRASH INVESTIGATION
According to the Federal Highway Administration, approximately 40 percent of car collisions occur at road intersections, and the cause is usually related to running a stop sign or a stoplight. Some of the reasons drivers blow through stop signs and traffic lights include impatience, reckless driving, and distracted driving.
“Road conditions, visibility, and lighting are all possible contributing factors considered and examined,” said Candice Bond, a Managing Partner with Bond Legal.
“An accident reconstruction team is sometimes needed to help piece together what happened. All of these resources are necessary for helping clients receive monetary compensation for damages or a loss following a collision,” said Bond, an experienced auto accident attorney.
WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM
Pending the investigation, the family of Richard and Marichu Kern could pursue a wrongful death claim. Family members of wrongful death victims may seek damages for loss of companionship, pain and suffering, and emotional distress following a tragic or catastrophic accident such as this.
“The stress and sorrow can be extremely overwhelming after losing a loved one in an accident,” said Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal.
“We understand just what families must go through, and having their rights protected is vital. A wrongful death lawyer will stay updated on the official investigation and help ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected."
If you or a family member have been involved in a situation similar to this article and would like to speak to our national legal analysts Candice Bond or Stefano Formica free of charge, please use the contact information found on this page
(Candice Bond, Managing Partner, and Stefano Formica, Of Counsel, at Bond Legal, are the national legal analysts for Newsline. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-985-6515 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).
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