Two people were injured after a pursuit led to a reckless two-vehicle collision in Cotati on Saturday evening, February 24, 2024.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the collision occurred past 7:15 p.m. near the Highway 101 exit at Highway 116.

Reports indicate that a stolen Hyundai was identified on Todd Road, which refused to yield, causing officers to begin pursuit.

After exiting Highway 101, the Hyundai ran a red light and slammed into a black Honda Civic. Two victims were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Hyundai driver and his female passenger left the damaged Hyundai and stole a Honda at a nearby 76 gas station. The stolen vehicle sustained major rear-end damage after the suspect driver crashed it into the fuel pump.

The female passenger was found hiding in the gas station’s bathroom and was arrested on suspicion of possessing stolen property and drugs.

The suspect driver fled into a heavily wooded area in Alameda County. His whereabouts are still unknown.

Award-winning Reckless Driving Accident Attorneys in Sonoma County

If you or a loved one is suffering from injuries or was killed as a result of another driver’s recklessness, you have the right to be paid in full for your medical expenses and loss. Seek justice with the help of our Reckless Driving Accident attorneys at Arash Law.

Avail a free consultation with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers, led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., who will review your case, discuss the next steps, and examine all the variables that could affect the settlement amount.

Seek legal advice from our award-winning Sonoma County reckless Driving Accident Attorneys, who have years of experience advocating for accident victims. As one of the biggest injury law firms in California, we have recovered more than $500 Million for clients.

To schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers, please call (888) 488-1391 or submit the “Do I Have a Case?” form.

What Should You Do in Case of a Car Accident?

First, you should check on all passengers, drivers, and pedestrians involved. If they need medical help, call for an ambulance immediately. Make sure that you don’t move anyone who is unconscious or reports back or neck pain unless their life is in imminent danger, for example, from a fire or oncoming traffic. Since car accidents are unexpected, you also need to do the following:

1. Call the police to report any deaths, injuries, or substantial property damage. Get the names and badge numbers of the officers who are at the scene of the accident. Later, you need to call the police department and request an accident report.
2. Take pictures of all parties involved, including their driver’s licenses and insurance cards.
3. Take pictures of all vehicles involved, including their license plates, any visible damages, and points of rest of the automobiles.
4. Take pictures of street names, traffic lights, and signs.
5. Take pictures of all the skid marks.
6. Take pictures of witnesses and obtain their phone numbers and addresses.
7. Preserve evidence by taking pictures of your injuries.
8. Seek medical attention, even if you feel like your injuries are minor.
9. Call our injury law firm’s California reckless driving accident lawyer for a free case review.

You should also get the names, driver’s license numbers, telephone numbers, and addresses of anyone involved. Get their license plates and insurance information. Be sure to get passengers’ names, addresses, and phone numbers. If there are any eyewitnesses, have them jot down their version of what happened and their contact information.

I HAD AN ACCIDENT

Reckless Driving Accident Statistics

Automobile crashes are the leading cause of unintentional deaths and injuries in the US. Every year, car accidents claim the lives of two million people and injure ten million more.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines Reckless Driving as “willful disregard” for the safety of other road users. The NHTSA also recorded 11,258 fatalities caused by speeding in 2020. In Cotati, 24 crashes either resulted in injuries or fatalities, according to data from the Transportation Injury Mapping System in 2022.