Safety Tips

Just in the past week, we have read about at least three pedestrian accidents – two of which involved minors. In the other one, a man in a wheelchair was killed in Hermiston, Oregon.

It hit us that because of these accidents, people have lost loved ones during a time family and friends are most on our minds. And for those who are injured, they are forced to spend the holidays recovering, if they’re lucky. Some of them lie in a hospital bed in a coma. Their families watching over them day and night. Waiting.
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Date: October 27, 2009

Halloween is a time for scary stories, and often it’s the grownups getting spooked. Parents hear warnings about stranger danger, razor blades, and LSD in candy bags. There’s even a scientific study on eye injuries from throwing raw eggs. Some folks worry about black cats. But the real danger on Halloween night is one so ordinary it could go unnoticed: motor vehicle traffic.

And in 2009, the danger from car-pedestrian accidents could be higher than ever, because the holiday falls on a Saturday. According to the University of Michigan News Service, children under 15 are 4.5 times more likely to die in a car crash on Halloween than on any other evening of the year, with most deaths occurring between 4 PM and 8 PM – prime trick-or-treating time.

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Date: October 14, 2009
Location: SE 257th Avenue & Stark Street, Gresham, Oregon
Names: Danial Eugene Rupp

(Photo: KATU.com)

The last night of Danial Eugene Rupp’s short life consisted of disaster piling onto disaster. The horrifying story started in the early morning hours of October 14, 2009, when Rupp was attacked and robbed as he left the 505 Club in Gresham, Oregon. It ended around 3:30 AM when he was killed in a fiery rollover crash.

According to KOINLocal6.com, Rupp, 25, of Troutdale, had called the police around 2:45 AM to report that his wallet had been taken. Officers believed he was okay to drive, but paramedics offered him a ride to the hospital. Unfortunately, Rupp refused, saying he would have someone drive him home.

Sadly, Rupp ended up driving home on his own. As he headed east on SE Stark, near 257th Avenue, his car left the road, struck a tree, and rolled at least once, landing on its roof. A passing driver noticed flames coming from the car and called 911. Emergency crews found Rupp dead at the scene.

Rupp’s sister, April, told KPTV.com that her brother asked police for a ride, and she wishes they had simply taken him home. “They told him not to drive, that’s understandable, but the fact is he asked them for a ride home. It was 3 something in the morning. He just had [been attacked] where an ambulance had to be called. He said ‘I’m on my way,’ and I said, ‘No, just wait, Danny,’ and he decided to drive anyway.”

The Oregonian reports that speed and wet road conditions were probably factors in the accident, according to investigators. As of October 16, it had not been determined whether drugs or alcohol were involved.

Many questions still surround this accident. What could have caused it? Poor road conditions may have caused this single-car crash. Such a lawsuit would allow the injured person to receive compensation and hopefully prevent future accidents on that stretch of road. Maybe the car was recently brought in for a tune-up, and the mechanic replaced the steering mechanism carelessly, and the car lost steering. These things do happen, and when someone is seriously injured, a competent Oregon personal injury attorney can investigate and find out what truly happened. Usually at no cost.  For more information on what to do in the case of an Oregon accident, contact our office or read 7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case.

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