Deadly Taft Collision on South Lake Road

A two-vehicle collision resulted in injuries and one death on Monday afternoon, March 28th. 

Reports included that the accident took place at 12:22 p.m. on South Lake Road. 

An unidentified woman was headed east in an Acura when she crossed into the westbound lanes.

Her vehicle then collided head-on with a Chevrolet pickup truck, driven by Jose Abel Espinoza, 24, of Maricopa. 

The woman ended up on the right shoulder upon impact and was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. She was also not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident. 

The passenger in the Acura, Eminglio Hernandez, 38, suffered unspecified injuries but was expected to be okay.

Espinoza suffered serious injuries and was taken to Kern Medical for treatment. 

Authorities shut down the roadway for a few hours as they worked at the scene. 

An active investigation is underway. 

Head-on collisions are without a doubt the most dangerous types of crashes. They may only account for 2% of accidents, however they make up 10% of all deadly crashes. 

The Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) has found that: 

• 75% of head-on crashes happen in rural areas
• They are most common on two-lane highways
• Failure in negotiating a curve on the road causes 23% of all fatal head-on collisions
• 58% of head-on collisions result in a fatality

If your injuries are caused by the negligence of a third party you may be entitled to compensation. In the event of a death, families may be entitled to wrongful death benefits. 

Contact JT Legal Group at (888) 529-3111 if you need legal assistance following an accident.