A driver slammed into Sheriff’s vehicles that were blocking the scene of a vehicle fire in Stanton

On By art-pedroza

This post was originally published on this site

A driver slammed into Sheriffs vehicles that were blocking the scene of a vehicle fire in Stanton

Engine 46, serving the City of Stanton, responded to a vehicle fire at a Shell gas station in the area of Beach Blvd. and Orangewood Ave. shortly after 2:00 AM last night, according to the OCFA.

While at the scene, a second vehicle crashed into Orange County Sheriff’s Department vehicles blocking the fire scene – an adult male driver was trapped in this vehicle.

Video taken at the scene shows a Nissan Altima sedan on its side wedged in between two Sheriff vehicles. Additional footage shows the sedan also ran into a pole and then proceeded to damage a water pipe.

The incident could have been far worse.  Four Sheriff vehicles were damaged, and multiple O.C. deputies were almost struck by the wayward vehicle.

An onsite witness told KTLA that the Nissan sedan was traveling at a high rate of speed and then slammed into the Sheriff vehicles that were parked just outside of the gas station. The sedan apparently jumped a curb and landed between two cop cars.

The incident was upgraded to a Traffic Collision Cut and Rescue, bringing a truck for auto extrication and additional OCFA paramedic units.

Both drivers were transported to the hospital in unknown conditions.

Fortunately no one from the Sheriff’s Department or the OCFA was hurt.

The cause of the of the traffic collision is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol, and the vehicle fire by OCFA fire investigators.

Legal Penalties

  1. Reckless Driving: This can result in fines ranging from $145 to $1,000 and imprisonment for 5 to 90 days.
  2. Property Damage: You may be required to pay for the damages to the sheriff’s vehicles, which can be substantial.
  3. Points on Driving Record: Such an incident would likely add multiple points to your driving record, potentially leading to license suspension.

Additional Consequences

  1. Increased Insurance Premiums: Your auto insurance rates could significantly increase due to the severity of the incident.
  2. Civil Liability: If the crash caused injuries, you could face civil lawsuits for damages.

These penalties aim to enforce road safety and accountability.

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Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions.

When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.