Motorcyclist Killed in Santa Ana Crash

Jonathan Sepetijan, 23, was killed in a Santa Ana motorcycle accident after his Harley- Davidson collided with a pickup truck at a street intersection. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal motorcycle accident occurred at the intersection of 17th Street and Linwood Avenue the night of March 8, 2016. Police said the motorcyclist was riding a 2006 Harley-Davidson motorcycle east on 17th Street when a 2002 Toyota Tundra pickup truck that was turning left onto southbound Linwood struck him.

The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike and landed on the southeast corner of the street. He was transported to an area trauma center where he died from his injuries shortly afterward. The driver of the pickup truck, a Santa Ana man, remained at the scene and cooperated with the authorities. Police do not believe alcohol or drugs played a part in this incident. No arrests or citations were reported. The investigation is still ongoing.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family members and friends of Jonathan Sepetijan for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2013 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were three fatalities and 89 injuries reported as a result of motorcycle accidents in the city of Santa Ana. In Orange County as a whole, 30 people died and 989 were injured due to motorcycle accidents during the same year.

Left Turn Law

Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the pickup truck was making a left turn at an intersection when the collision occurred. California Vehicle Code Section 21801 (a) states: “The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U- turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close  enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety.”

Liability Issues

In this particular case, we trust officials are looking into what caused the driver of the pickup truck to not yield the right of way to the oncoming motorcyclist. Was he distracted, inattentive or otherwise negligent? If that was the case, he could be held liable for the victim’s wrongful death. In such cases, families of deceased victims can seek  compensation for damages such as medical expenses, funeral costs, lost future income and loss of love and companionship. An experienced Santa Ana motorcycle accident lawyer