January 27, 2025, Phelan CA: On Monday, a fatal crash occurred at the intersection of Johnson Road and Smoke Tree Road in Phelan California. A woman was hit by a white Dodge Ram pickup truck, and died at the scene.
According to CHP Fatal, this crash was reported to California Highway Patrol at 5:42PM.
Tragically, the woman was pronounced dead at 5:59PM and the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office was called.
This intersection is just in front of the High Desert Baptist Church. This is a dangerous area for pedestrians because there are no street lights, no cross walk, there’s no shoulder to walk on other than soft dirt and Johnson Road is 55MPH.
Who is at fault?
It is impossible to determine fault based on the California Highway Patrol logs. It is entirely possible the pedestrian was solely to blame. But, we do not know.
In cases like this, drivers can be held liable, even if they were only partially at fault. Examples of driver negligence could be:
- A driver not paying attention to the road
- Distracted driver, playing on their phone
- Driving under the influence
- Speeding
Wrongful Death Claims:
Many insurance companies don’t want family members to know about Wrongful Death Claims because these can be extremely expensive for them.
If and when a driver is found to be negligent, an insurer may have to pay survivors thousands or even millions of dollars. Insurers do not have to tell you about these claims.
For more information on these claims, see our page on wrongful death claims in California.
When to Contact a Lawyer:
After any crash involving a serious injury or a fatality, contact an experienced attorney to find out exactly what your legal options are.
Do not rely on a police report, these are simply observations of an officer after a crash. In some cases, we’ll conduct our own investigation.
If you or a loved one is ever in a crash similar to this, contact us for a free consultation.
