Charles Reginald Conwell, 58, was killed in an Orange County car accident after he was struck while crossing the street in Laguna Beach, the evening of January 9, 2010. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Conwell was crossing at the 1700 block of Laguna Canyon Road when he was struck by a minivan driven by a 45-year-old Mission Viejo woman. Police say that he was crossing outside a marked crosswalk. Conwell was taken to an area hospital where he died later that same day.

My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved this man. Apparently, he was a homeless man who was well known in the local community and nicknamed the "cowboy" because he always wore a cowboy hat and boots. I offer my deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Please keep them in your prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

There was one fatality and 16 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Laguna Beach in 2007, according to California Highway Patrol's traffic accident statistics. In Orange County as a whole, 41 deaths and 726 injuries occurred in 2007 due to pedestrian accidents. Also, countywide, 178 people died and 14,185 were injured as a result of traffic accidents during the same year.

Pedestrian Laws

If the details of this news report are accurate, it seems to me that the pedestrian may have been crossing the street illegally, outside a marked crosswalk. According to California Vehicle Code Section 21950 (a): "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection." The same section also states: "This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk."

Contacting An Experienced Injury Attorney

If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident and believe that a negligent driver struck you, please contact a reputed Orange County personal injury attorney, who has experience holding negligent drivers accountable. In some pedestrian accidents, a dangerous or defective roadway may play a part in the collision. If that is the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can be held liable as well. Please remember that any claim against a governmental agency in California must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

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