Reckless driver of hit-and-run in Seal Beach arrested

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CBS NEWS — Authorities have arrested the reckless driver allegedly connected to a grisly hit-and-run crash in Seal Beach last weekend.

According to a statement from the Seal Beach Police Department, the suspect turned himself in a week after the crash occurred on Feb. 11 at around 7:10 p.m.

The suspect, now identified as 23-year-old Lake Forest resident Jahson Imgrund, slammed into another vehicle while speeding through the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street, leaving five teenage girls hospitalized.

He then fled from the area on foot, evading a massive manhunt by SBPD officers in the Hill Neighborhood.

“Investigators from the Seal Beach Police Department responded to the scene and worked with Orange County Sheriff’s Crime Lab to process physical evidence from the suspect vehicle,” said a statement from police.

During the course of their investigation, thanks to officers who canvassed the nearby neighborhood, gathered surveillance footage and interviewed witnesses, detectives were able to identify Imgrund as a person of interest prior to Sunday’s arrest.

Imgrund was taken into custody upon turning himself in on Sunday and booked for felony hit-and-run with serious bodily injury.

“We want to thank the community for their support and assistance during this investigation. The assistance of volunteers canvassing the neighborhood, residents searching for additional video evidence and the ongoing concern for the victims and their families illustrates how tight-knit the Seal Beach community is,” said SBPD Chief Michael Henderson in a statement.

We wish a quick recovery for others involved in this crash during this very difficult time.

If you have been injured in a road rage incident in Glendale or any other place, an experienced personal injury lawyer can make you assure that your rights are protected. The Law Offices of Burg & Brock has offices throughout California.

When individuals are harmed or killed in traffic accidents, and another party is at fault, full compensation is not always granted, despite the circumstances. Skilled legal representation from a car or truck accident attorney is typically a must in these situations.

Photo credit: CBS News

Legal Defenders at the Law Offices of Burg and Brock has helped countless families and individuals obtain the compensation they need to deal with expenses and move on with their lives. For a police report or other information, call us today at (818) 405-9091.

What California law says after a car accident

Reporting requirements after a California collision

California imposes reporting duties on drivers that are separate from any insurance claim.

A report must be filed with the DMV on form SR-1 within ten days of a collision that caused any injury, any death, or more than one thousand dollars in property damage to any one person. This duty applies regardless of fault, applies even when police responded and wrote their own report, and is not satisfied by notifying an insurance company. With current repair costs, most collisions that involve a body shop meet the damage threshold.

A separate rule covers collisions causing injury or death. The driver must make a written report to the California Highway Patrol, or to the city police department where the collision happened in a city, within twenty four hours. The statute states this duty for every injury or fatal collision. In practice, where officers responded and completed a report at the scene, that report generally satisfies the agency’s need, but a driver who assumes this without confirming it is relying on practice rather than on the text of the law.

Missing the DMV deadline can lead to suspension of driving privileges, an outcome unrelated to who caused the collision.

California filing deadlines for injury and death claims

In California, a lawsuit for personal injury caused by another person’s negligence generally must be filed within two years of the injury, under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. A claim for a death caused by another’s wrongful act or neglect runs under the same two-year period.

Shorter deadlines apply in specific situations. If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, a written claim must normally be presented to that public entity within six months. Claims involving minors, injuries that are not discovered right away, and certain defendants can follow different timelines.

Which deadline applies depends on the facts of each situation, and the standard two-year period does not govern every claim.

Your Rights After a Car Accident in California

A collision like this one raises questions about fault, insurance and medical costs, usually before anyone has had time to think about them. These guides explain how California handles them.