Multi-Car Pileup Ends In One Death

Drivers owe a general duty of care to their fellow drivers. If even one driver fails to uphold this duty of care it can lead to consequences ranging from small fender-benders to car collisions that may result in tragedy. The latter was the outcome on Monday morning, when a multi-car pileup took the life of one of the drivers.

On June 8, 2015, multiple westbound lanes of Highway 50, in Sacramento County, were closed down due to a multi-car pile up, backing up the morning commute traffic. The multi-car collision took place at approximately 8:15 in the morning, near Bradshaw Road.

According to the California Highway Patrol, a 2013 Chevrolet failed to come to a stop and crashed into the rear of a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier. The force of the collision propelled the Chevrolet Cavalier forward and into a 2014 Dodge Challenger, which was in turn pushed forward and hit a 2006 Ford E-250 Van. While most drivers and passengers survived the multi-collision accident, the driver of the 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier, 52 year-old Derrick Hodges, died at the scene.

Nevertheless, the family members of Derrick Hodges are not without recourse. If they can establish that the 2012 Chevrolet driver’s failure to stop his vehicle was due to his own negligence, they may be able to recover for the loss of their loved one through a wrongful death claim against the negligent driver.