At 22, he was the Los Angeles Angels' No 3 starter. Early Thursday, just hours after his Wednesday night season debut throwing six shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics, pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a deadly California hit and run accident in Fullerton not far from the Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
The fatal Southern California motor vehicle crash occurred after midnight when a minivan ran a red light, striking the Mitsubishi the baseball player was riding in with three other people, as well as another car. Adenhart was pronounced dead following surgery at University of California, Irvine Medical Center. Two other people riding the silver Mitsubishi were pronounced dead at the crash site, and another is in reportedly critical condition.
The minivan's driver, 22-year-old Andrew Thomas Gallo, fled the California car crash site but was apprehended soon after and booked for possible felony hit and run, driving under the influence, and manslaughter.
Hit and Run Accidents Facts (AAA)
- Almost 1,500 people/year are killed in hit and run collisions.
- More than half of hit and run accidents take place on Fridays through Sundays.
- 47% of hit and run collisions happen after 9pm and before 3pm
- 14,914 people died in US hit and run accidents from 1994 to 2003.
- About 11% of police-reported incidents involve at least one hit-and-run motorist fleeing the crash site.
Common reasons why drivers responsible for causing a traffic crash flee the scene:
- They don't know they are supposed to stop.
- They are scared.
- Drunk driving.
- They may be driving without a license.
- They may have committed another crime.
- They may be wanted by police.
Our Anaheim car crash lawyers represent clients who have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in an Orange County, California auto accident. We represent clients with personal injury and wrongful death claims against negligent drivers, reckless drivers, drunk drivers, unlicensed motorist, hit and run drivers, and uninsured drivers.
Angels Pitcher Nick Adenhart Killed in Fullerton Crash, OC Weekly, April 9, 2009
Angels' Nick Adenhart killed by drunk driver, police says, Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Nick Adenhart, Major League Baseball
Contact the Anaheim personal injury law firm of Howard Law, LLP today.
