TURLOCK, CALIFORNIA (December 19, 2017) – A man and an unborn baby were killed in a car accident on Golden State Boulevard on Tuesday morning, according to an article by MercedSunStar. (map)
The accident happened around 7:45 am at the intersection of Golden State Boulevard and Griffith Avenue. A black 2014 Dodge Challenger with red racing stripes driven by a 29 year old man was at a stop sign on Griffith Avenue when he abruptly pulled out in front of a gray 2012 Ford Fusion heading westbound on Golden State Boulevard. The Fusion was unable to stop in time and t-boned the Challenger.
The driver of the Ford Fusion, 24 year old Kelsi Marie Branco, was 8 months pregnant at the time of the collision. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, but she tragically lost the baby. The driver of the Challenger, a 29 year old man from Hilmar, was also killed in the accident. The collision remains under investigation at this time to determine cause and liability. HWG Law is still receiving updates at this time regarding this accident.
There have been a high number of fatal crashes in Merced County in the month of December. 9 people have died in various car related accidents across the county, including several pedestrian accidents. Sharon Ziccone was struck by a car and killed on Parsons Avenue on December 16th, Dayveonna Polk was killed after she was struck by a car on R Street on December 4th, and Jessica Rodriguez and Luis Casares were both killed in a car accident in Atwater on December 9th. These are just a few of the fatal accidents in the Merced area this month.
In areas with higher than normal accident rates, it is sometimes as a result of a lack of safety on the roadways. Inadequate lighting, stop signs, and poor road quality can all contribute to the possibility of accidents. It is the responsibility of the county or city to keep the roadways in safe working condition for their residents, and this should include regular analysis of accident rates in the area.
“Sadly, there are no words that can comfort all family members and friends as they cope with such tragic loss,” said the attorneys from HWG Law. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all parties affected in this tragedy as they try to piece together what happened.”
