Road Rage Incident Leads to Chain Reaction Multi-Car Crash in Santa Clarita

June 23rd ─ a road-rage incident involving a motorcycle and a sedan led to a multi- car accident resulting in one man being sent to the hospital. The accident occurred Wednesday morning around 6:00 a.m. in the carpool lane of the 14 Freeway South, near the Newhall exit. Video footage, taken by an eyewitness, shows the motorcyclist kicking at the Nissan’s driver’s side door, the Nisan can be seen trying to pin the motorcyclist against the K-rail median of the center divider resulting in the Nissan driver losing control of his vehicle. The Nissan swerves wildly into the K-rail median and a chain-reaction crash follows. The Nissan ricochets off the median and then crashes into an uninvolved truck that caused the truck to overturn and land on its roof. The motorcyclist rode off without stopping to lend assistance to the crash victims. The California Highway Patrol said the incident is considered a hit-and-run and authorities are now searching for that motorcycle rider that caused the accident which sent the innocent driver of the truck to the hospital. The driver of the truck, 75-year old Carlos Benavidez who was on his way to work, suffered no major injuries, and was discharged same day from the hospital.

Benavidez, who was interviewed by reporters the following day, stated that, “When I felt the impact, and my truck spun out beside me, and I started to roll. I saw nothing but asphalt and sky. And then, coming to rest, and I looked around to see, and I was still breathing. To me that was a plus.”

Chris Taber, the driver who recorded the footage, says just before he took out his phone to record the altercation, the motorcyclist had also passed him between lanes. When the Nissan’s driver tried to get out of the carpool lane, he slightly bumped into the motorcycle. Taber doesn’t know if it was an accident or deliberate.

“I’m sure the guy on the motorcycle was scared and totally startled because he almost went down and I’m sure his adrenaline kicked in,” Taber said.
The driver of the Nissan was identified as a 19-year old male. His father spoke to reporters stating that his son was scared when the motorcyclist brandished what looked like a knife at him. Benavidez also spoke to the 19-year old Nissan driver saying, “He came and saw to it that I was okay. You know, he had a bottle of water. He gave me a bottle of water. He was kind of in shock himself. He apologized”.

Authorities are urging the public’s help and request that anyone with information or who may have witnessed this crash to call the California Highway Patrol Newhall Area office at (661) 294-5540.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an motorcycle, bike or scooter collision, Motorcycle Lawyer Pros strongly encourages you to call our motorcycle accident attorneys at 1.855.869.4777 for a free consultation. Our highly skilled and experienced attorneys will provide you with the best legal representation and guidance that you need. Our offices are conveniently located throughout California and we conduct regular travels in the region to meet with clients.