26-year-old Raja Whitfield would need auto accident attorneys expertise following his arrest by the police in San Francisco, California. The San Francisco Police Department took the man into custody on Tuesday, August 11th, after an auto-pedestrian collision.
The morning accident occurred in the Western Addition neighborhood. The police said they received a crash report of the occurrence at about 7 a.m. When officers arrived at the scene, they found that a vehicle struck a pedestrian in the area of Geary Boulevard and Gough Street.
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A preliminary investigation uncovered that Whitfield struck the 50-year-old San Francisco resident in the crosswalk. The pedestrian died at the scene, and the medics conveyed the suspect to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The police then placed the suspect under arrest on suspicion of manslaughter, recklessness, entering a crosswalk on a red signal, and speeding. They do not believe alcohol or drugs contributed to the accident, and the investigation remains open.
A vehicular manslaughter charge arises when a driver kills a person with his or her vehicle. It is different from a murder charge because of the lack of the mental element of premeditation. The offense carries a severe punishment, and offenders are liable to imprisonment for a period of four or six years.
The offending driver can also face a wrongful death civil lawsuit from the victim’s family to recover damages. The court, in this instance, would grant compensation to the tune of the loss suffered.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.