Pasadena: Woman in Wheelchair Killed in Hit-and-Run Accident

A woman in a wheelchair was killed in a hit-and-run accident last night in Pasadena. 28-year-old DeShaun Chapman was traveling north at a high rate of speed on Fair Oaks Avenue at around 6:30 p.m. when a dark sedan backed out of a private driveway, causing Chapman to swerve into oncoming traffic; he then over-corrected, losing control of the vehicle and crashing into the 52-year-old convalescent hospital resident, pinning her to the ground. While Chapman initially fled the scene, he later returned and was charged with vehicular manslaughter. Authorities are still searching for the driver of the dark sedan and have asked anyone with information about this accident to call 626-744-4241, explains a California personal injury lawyer. 

In 2009, traffic accidents claimed the lives of 4,092 pedestrians and injured another 59,000, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA. That year, the majority of pedestrians were killed between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., followed by 9 p.m. and midnight. The highest percentage of injuries also occurred between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., followed by 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. While the majority of fatal accidents occurred at nonintersection locations (74.8%), most of the injuries were sustained in intersections (49.1%). 

All of us at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis, and Leslie would like to offer our condolences to the family of the woman in the wheelchair who was killed last night.

The Los Angeles Times originally reported this hit-and-run accident.

Additional information, including links to pedestrian advocacy groups and articles on pedestrian rights, is available to the public free of charge.

If you would like to request one of these resources, or to speak with a California personal injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.