A big rig spilled its load of metal pipes on I-10 in Blythe, triggering a chain of crashes that included an El Paso tour bus, resulting in the deaths of four bus passengers and injuries to more than 20 others, according to a news report.
The California Highway Patrol said that the big rig driver was attempting to pass slower traffic on I-10 in Blythe when he steered onto the dirt shoulder of the freeway and lost control, causing the truck to jack knife and spill its load of metal pipe across all lanes of the highway.
Shortly thereafter, a tour bus with 32 passengers traveling west from El Paso to Los Angeles hit several of the pipes and crashed. Four people – all California residents — were killed, including Pablo Ramirez, 67, of Pico Rivera; Angel Hernandez, 49, of Hacienda Heights; Luz Rivera, 44, of Compton; and Jessica Garcia, 30, of Chula Vista.
In addition, more than 20 other passengers in the El Paso-Los Angeles Limousine Express bus were injured and were transported to hospitals in Blythe, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Parker, Arizona.
CHP investigators said that the fatal crash occurred on a desolate, unlit portion of I-10 at night, making the pipes almost impossible for other drivers to detect. Several other cars struck the pipes, but no other injuries were reported.
According to the news report, the big rig driver, Victor Esteban Galvan, had previous violations for driving eight hours without a break and having an expired medical certificate. His big rig was also cited last October for violations that included operating without a scheduled, periodic inspection and an incomplete driver’s log. Galvan is the owner of VG Transport, which he runs out of his home in Rialto.
If you or a loved one is involved in an accident that causes death or serious injury, call the Orange County personal injury attorneys at Callahan & Blaine, California’s Premier Litigation Firm. We are one of the leading catastrophic Orange County personal injury law firms. In fact, in the last five years alone our lawyers have obtained over $1.5 billion in verdicts and settlements, including a record breaking $50 Million settlement against the City of Dana Point, which has been certified as the largest personal injury settlement in the history of the United States.
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If you or someone you know has suffered a catastrophic injury or died as the result of an accident, please contact our Orange County law firm for expert legal counsel.
