Jose Elizondo, 67, was fatally injured in an Orange County car accident the afternoon of January 15, 2010 on the 5 Freeway in San Juan Capistrano. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the accident occurred when the Ford Taurus he was driving sideswiped a slower-moving Nissan Sentra and went off the shoulder of the freeway’s northbound lanes, near the Junipero Serra off-ramp. The Taurus apparently crashed through brush and a fence, before it rolled over and came to a stop. The Taurus' female passenger survived and was transported to the hospital with injuries. The occupants of the Sentra were, thankfully, not injured.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jose Elizondo for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers. I also hope the Ford's passenger did not sustain any serious injuries. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two fatalities and 125 injuries involving car accidents in San Juan Capistrano. Countywide, car accidents claimed 178 lives and caused 14,185 injuries during the same year.

Auto Product Liability Issues

If the details of this news report are accurate, Elizondo was traveling at a high rate of speed and ended up clipping the Nissan, which basically sent him swerving off the freeway. In such cases, it is important to question whether there were other factors involved. Was the initial collision caused by a vehicle defect or a mechanical malfunction? Did vehicle design defects or auto product defects play a part in Elizondo's fatal injuries? Some of the common auto product defects we come across include seatbelt defects, seatback defects and airbag failures.

In any car accident where a malfunction or a vehicle defect is suspected, it would be in the victim's (or his family's) best interests to preserve the vehicle in its current condition, unaltered, so it may be carefully examined by an expert for auto product defects, malfunctions and another evidence. The best Orange County personal injury lawyers will always offer a free, confidential and comprehensive claim evaluation to injured victims and their families.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.