Getting out of your vehicle immediately following a crash can be dangerous – especially on busy freeways, interchanges, and bridges. If another driver happens to be on the road while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it can lead to an accident or worse.
The East Bay Times reports that is what happened when a man was struck and killed by another motorist whom authorities believe was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time.
A spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said in a statement that the fatal crash happened at approximately 11:45 p.m. on Saturday, December 10, on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge.
Two vehicles got into a minor fender bender on the bridge near the High Rise. The CHP said that there were no injuries in the initial crash. However, as one of the motorists was getting out of his black Hyundai Elantra, he was struck by a third motorist driving a black Cadillac Escalade SUV.
The CHP and paramedics responded to the accident site and declared the Hyundai driver dead at the scene.
The man driving the Cadillac Escalade and a female passenger were taken to Stanford Hospital with serious injuries.
The driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Law enforcement officials have not released the name of the suspect driver.
The eastbound lanes of the San Mateo – Hayward Bridge were shut down for approximately five hours while detectives investigated the scene.
