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Dangerous Road Kills Three in Kings County
June 11, 2008

A tragic car accident has claimed the lives of three teenagers in Hanford, California. The three teens, 17-year-old Carlos Sigala Jr., 17-year-old Cory Kennedy and 18-year-old Jesus Rios had graduated from Hanford West High School just six days ago. Their car apparently plunged into a canal as the trio were heading east on Jersey Avenue, and landed upside down

The timing of the accident is not clear; but officers were called early on Tuesday morning. There, they found the car lying upside down. They found the three dead teenagers still trapped inside. The accident has sent the town of Hanford into mourning. Students of Hanford West High School and recent graduates of the school who were the classmates of the three kids, held a candlelight vigil for them, and many gathered to hold an impromptu memorial service.

No details of the investigation are available yet, but alcohol and drugs seem to have played no part in this car accident. The culprit most sections of the media have focused on is the dangerous road itself. The road which has no protective barrier separating it from the canal is full of hairpin bends, locals say.

At the bend where the car plunged into the canal, there is a single sign that cautions about the bend, but that's easy to miss. One police officer says that if you took your eyes off the road for even a second, there was a very good chance you could end up in water. Add to this the fact that we don't know when the accident occurred - it is entirely possible that it took place at night when visibility is low. Warning cones that serve to warn motorists on this dangerous road are also few.

In other words, the road has not been designed with any consideration for safety of motorists. Looking at video footage of the scene of the car accident, it's hardly surprising that a car could easily lose control at a hairpin bend, and plunge into the deep waters. There is no wall of any sort, and it's simply too easy for accidents to take place on such a dangerous road. The driver of the car, Carlos Sigada Jr., whose family also owned the 2001 Hyundai he was driving, most probably missed the dangerous curve, sending his car flying off the road.

Kennedy, Sigada and Rios, their friends and family remember, were full of life and enthusiasm, and were active participants in high school. All three had plans for college. Corey was her mother's only child. Carlos worked after hours at his family owned restaurant. Their families and they had so much to look forward to. When an accident like this snuffs out three lives in seconds, it is not just tragic, but criminal. The families should seriously consider taking civil action against the county for their negligence in providing road safety for motorists on this dangerous road.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of dangerous roads. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

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