Last night a tragic three-vehicle collision on California Highway 395 left 3 dead and 15 injured--one of the worst accidents a California injury lawyer has seen in years.

Last night, when Shane Scott checked his rear view mirror while driving down California Highway 395, the Inyo County Sheriff’s deputy witnessed an accident of devastating proportions: a Ford Expedition heading south crossed the highway’s center divider, striking a 2009 Ford Econoline van; the van was then struck again by a 2000 Subaru Legacy. The collision left 3 dead and 15 injured, reported the Los Angeles Times.

“This is one of the worst accidents I have seen in years,” remarked a California injury lawyer upon receiving news of the accident. “The accident victims and their families will be in my thoughts and prayers.”

The passengers of the van were members of a cross-country team from California Baptist University, a private Christian university located in Riverside. The eleven students suffered minor to serious injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Wendy Rice, a CBU cheerleading coach who had volunteered to drive the team, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The Ford Expedition was carrying graduates and former cross-country runners from Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego. Two of the female passengers sustained fatal injuries; one male was severely burned and is in critical condition; and the other four passengers were injured—three of which suffered third-degree burns.

The driver of the 2000 Subaru Legacy, a 19-year-old woman from Ashland, Oregon, sustained multiple injuries, as well as third-degree burns, and has been hospitalized.

Authorities are investigating to determine the cause of the accident.

James Ballidis is a California injury lawyer. He has written extensively on personal injury law and accident victims' rights. For information regarding your rights and options after an accident or to request a copy of one of his books, feel free to call 866-981-5596.