On June 5, 2021, a hit-and-run driver struck and killed three children on Camp Rock Road near Rabbit Springs Road in Lucerne Valley. A fourth child was left severely injured at the scene. The children who were having a sleepover and walking on the side of the road at about 10:19 p.m. when they were struck from behind. There is no sidewalk where the girls were hit. The ages of the girls who were killed were 13, 12 and 11. Two of the girls were disabled and using wheelchairs when they were struck. The identity of the suspected driver has now been released.
The Truck Occupants Got Out
Witnesses reported that the driver of the truck and his passenger are said to have stopped at the crash scene and used a flashlight to see who or what they had hit. They then left a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at the scene and fled on foot. That truck is now being held by investigators. The suspected driver is an 18-year-old male who is believed to reside in both Los Angeles and Mexico. A no-bail warrant for three counts of vehicular homicide has been issued for his arrest. The fourth victim, who survived the crash, reportedly lost a leg and suffered multiple fractures along with brain, liver and kidney damage from the impact. The driver of the Silverado apparently drifted over onto the shoulder of the road before hitting the girls. It’s unknown whether he had consumed alcohol or drugs before the crash.
Carry Sufficient Uninsured Motorist Insurance
For the families of the victims, the enormity of their grief and sadness is indescribable. There is no indication of whether the driver of the Silverado was insured, and even if he was, there simply isn’t sufficient coverage to adequately compensate the victims’ families for their damages and losses. This all operates as a reminder to the rest of us to carry sufficient insurance on our vehicles to compensate ourselves or family members in the event that we’re injured or killed by an uninsured motorist. In California, for all intents and purposes, a hit-and-run driver is an uninsured motorist.
Fundraisers have been held for the families of the deceased. The sole survivor’s medical expenses are being covered by the state. A Go Fund Me has been established on behalf of all of the victims along with a separate fund for the sole survivor’s recovery.