Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Elderly Struck and Killed while Chasing after Dog

A 77-year-old woman died after being hit by a vehicle near Los Flores Avenue when she darted into the roadway while chasing after her pooch early Monday morning.

After the accident, the woman identified as Belba Bray, of Buena Park, was taken to a hospital where she later died from injuries sustained in the accident.

Reports show that Bray’s son was nearby and he rushed to the scene when the accident at the 5900 block of Los Feliz Drive occurred. The woman’s dog was later found and was given to him.

The driver of the 2008 Dodge Charger stayed at the scene and cooperated with authorities as they investigated the vehicle accident. He was later released without charges or any citation.

The driver may be free from charges once proven that he wasn’t, in any way, able to prevent the accident that killed the elderly pedestrian. However, motorists should still be cautious and be conscious of pedestrians who may suddenly cross the street. But then again, the woman was probably running to get her dog and so she wasn’t able to warn approaching motorists that she is about to cross and the driver may have failed to avoid her.

In cases like these, it is very unfortunate for someone to lose his life because of a simple misjudgment. The woman shouldn’t have crossed the street even if her dog got away as she had put herself in more danger by doing so. She should have scanned the road first for approaching vehicles or asked someone to help her chase after her dog.