According to a report from ABC 10 Sacramento, a road rage crash led to shots being fired in a neighborhood in Stockton. The SWAT team was called to respond to the incident. A 20-year-old man and a teenage girl were arrested after a standoff. The incident took place in Lincoln Village, a quiet and residential neighborhood tucked in the northwest corner of Stockton. In this blog post, our Stockton auto accident lawyers explain what we know about the incident and provide an overview of the dangers of road rage and aggressive driving in general.
Report: Road Rage Crash Leads to Shooting, SWAT Response in Stockton, CA
The road rage crash occurred on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 19th. Shortly before 5:00 PM, emergency service personnel received calls about a motor vehicle collision. Around the same time, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office received reports of shots being fired in the area. Upon arrival and investigation, officers determined that shots were fired by a male and a female who were in a crashed vehicle. The male suspect, identified as 20-year-old Anthony Hernandez, barricaded himself into a nearby home. The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT team was called and the man was eventually taken into custody hours later. Law enforcement officials report that road rage was the root cause of the incident.
Road Rage is a Form of Angry, Aggressive, and Even Uncontrolled Driving
A road rage incident that ends with shots being fired is extreme—but it is also not entirely unheard of. Road rage is a serious problem. Road rage is a dangerous and potentially deadly form of aggressive driving. It is characterized by angry and erratic behavior behind the wheel, such as tailgating, cutting off other drivers, making rude gestures, and even engaging in physical altercations. This type of behavior not only puts the person experiencing road rage at risk, but also poses a danger to other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. In some cases, road rage can escalate to the point of violence and even homicide.
California Law: Road Rage May Be Negligence and Lead to License Suspension
Our state does not have a specific criminal statute for road rage. That being said, road rage may lead to an administrative license suspension, it may be negligence that leads to civil liability in an accident claim, and it could lead to separate criminal charges. Under California law (Vehicle Code 13210 CVC), the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has the authority to suspend or revoke the driver’s license of a person who has been involved in a road rage incident.
This statute states that the DMV can take action against a driver if they have been found to have engaged in an “immediate pursuit” of another vehicle on the highway, with the intent to harass, intimidate, injure, or kill the occupants of that vehicle. Additionally, the statute states that the DMV can also take action against a driver if they have been found to have engaged in “aggressive driving” that poses a significant risk of death or injury to others.
When a crash does occur because of road rage, the at-fault driver may be held legally liable for the full extent of the resulting injuries. Aggressive driving (road rage) may be deemed negligent driving. It is crucial that these types of collisions are comprehensively investigated to determine exactly what happened and why. The responsible party must be held accountable for the collision.
Recovering Compensation for a Road Rage Crash in the San Joaquin Valley
Were you hurt in a road rage accident or other type of aggressive driving in Stockton? You need to know what to do to secure full and fair financial compensation for your injuries. Depending on the nature and severity of the road rage/aggressive driving crash, compensation may be available for:
- Property damage (vehicle repairs);
- Emergency medical treatment;
- Medical bills and other health-related expenses;
- Loss of income and loss of earning power;
- Pain and suffering & mental distress;
- Disability or disfigurement; and
- Wrongful death of a family member.
As road rage may be an especially egregious form of negligence, punitive compensation may also be granted to the victim and their family in some road rage accident claims in California. A Stockton auto accident lawyer can help you navigate a punitive damages claim.
Consult With Our Stockton Auto Accident Lawyer Today
At Redkey Gordon Law Corp, our Stockton car crash attorneys are experienced advocates for victims and families. We work tirelessly to help injured victims get big-time results in complex cases. If you or your loved one was hurt in a road rage incident or any other type of aggressive driving crash, our legal team is more than ready to help. Contact us today for a no cost, no obligation consultation. With an office in Stockton, we provide car accident representation throughout the surrounding area.