Seattle Bicyclist Charged in Hit and Run Personal Injury Accident | Seattle Serious Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawyer

Blog Categories:

Last week, a 32-year-old bicyclist named Rafael Araneta was charged with vehicular assault and hit and run in Seattle, Washington for his role in a serious personal injury accident. On Wednesday, November 18th, Araneta passed by several cars, rode through a red light and collided with a 6-year-old boy who was crossing the street with his father at a crosswalk.

After colliding with the young boy, Araneta climbed back on to his bike, and attempted to ride away. Witnesses chased him down and held Araneta until police arrived. When asked why he tried to flee the scene, Araneta said that“he was scared and didn’t know what to do.”

The young boy suffered a fractured jaw and was taken to Harborview Medical Center to treat the personal injuries he suffered in the accident.

Bicyclists, just like individuals who drive automobiles, must follow traffic laws and be aware of pedestrians at all times. In this case, the man on his bike said that he saw the red light and the pedestrians, yet felt that he could make it through in time and safely. Clearly he was wrong. Individuals with this type of mindset, who think that they can make their own traffic rules, do not belong on a bike or behind the wheel of a car. Carelessness and putting members of the puclic at risk should not tolerated, and when the perpetrator of the careless action doesn’t even have the character to stay on the scene and accept and deal with the consequences of his poor choices, then extra punishment should be leveled against him.

We wish the best of luck to the injured boy and his family, and we hope he makes a quick and full recovery.

This blog is provided by www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Jason Epstein and his law practice Premiere Law Group in Seattle, Washington.