Bizarre car accident makes headlines around the world, hopefully increasing awareness of seatbelt safety.
On the morning of October 30, LA commuters on the 5 Freeway were greeted with a gruesome sight as they approached the Colorado Street exit: the body of 20-year-old car accident victim Richard Pananian hanging from the exit sign.
In the days since the accident, new details have emerged and we now have a better idea of how this tragedy unfolded.
According to the California Highway Patrol, they received a call about Pananian’s reckless driving at about 7 am that morning. Witnesses later said that Pananian was speeding along the right hand shoulder of the freeway, passing other vehicles mired in the morning rush hour traffic. The accident occurred when Pananian clipped the back of a pickup truck which caused his Ford Fiesta to veer out of control. His vehicle flipped over multiple times as it went up the embankment, at which point Pananian was ejected from the vehicle and landed 20 feet up in the air on the freeway exit sign.
Though officials responded quickly to the accident and were able to cover the body with a sheet, they were not able to remove the body until a ladder arrived on the scene several hours later.
Representatives from the California Highway Patrol have now confirmed that Pananian was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident.
According to his family, this was out of character. Pananian was a car fanatic who had actually installed a special 5-point racing style safety harness in his car. Relatives say he always wore his seatbelt and never needed reminding.
No one knows why Pananian chose not to buckle up that day. Relatives did say they had just celebrated an Armenian cultural ritual for him following the overcoming of some serious health problems. The ritual was designed to protect him from harm and evil—perhaps it made him over-confident of his safety?
What is certain is that Pananian’s death has influenced many people to become more aware of the importance of wearing their seatbelts and driving safely. The individuals who witnessed the actual accident were no doubt very moved. Those drivers who only saw the aftermath were also affected—one such driver, Jake Pourshi, told reporters that after witnessing this tragedy he is going to increase safe driving awareness amongst his friends, family, and coworkers at his truck driving company.
Car Accident Injuries?
If you have been injured in a car accident, Fernando D. Vargas may be able to help you secure compensation even if you were not wearing your seatbelt. Call us at 909-982-0707 now for a free consultation.
