Fresno, CA (March 30, 2024) – The Fresno County Coroner’s Office has identified 49-year-old Ervin Price as the victim of a hit-and-run accident in central Fresno. The accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, around 1 a.m., near the intersection of Highway 41 and 180, where Price was residing in an encampment.
Incident Overview: According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the incident unfolded when a vehicle, identified as a Land Rover, navigated south on Highway 41 towards the connector to westbound 180. In a tragic turn of events, the vehicle failed to follow the road, veering off into an area where Ervin Price had made his home within a large bush. The impact of the collision was fatal for Price, who was struck while in his makeshift residence and pronounced dead at the scene.
Initially, a 27-year-old woman was arrested under the suspicion of DUI, believed to be the driver. However, it was later clarified that she was a passenger, leading to her release. The search for the actual driver continues, with authorities having identified but not yet apprehended the individual responsible for this devastating accident.
Driver Responsibility and Hit-and-Run Liability: The wrongful arrest of the passenger underscores law enforcement’s challenges in accurately identifying and apprehending individuals responsible for hit-and-run accidents. The driver’s failure to remain at the scene constitutes a hit-and-run, a severe offense that elevates the legal stakes. The act of leaving the scene of an accident, especially one involving a fatality, significantly compounds the legal consequences, including potential charges of vehicular manslaughter.
Potential Claims for the Price Family: Ervin Price’s tragic death may give rise to several legal claims by his family, particularly wrongful death. These claims could seek compensation for the loss of companionship and emotional distress. Furthermore, Isabelle Price’s account of her father’s character and the impact of his loss highlights the profound personal suffering that can be factored into such claims.
Challenges in Homelessness: Price’s situation as an unhoused individual living in an encampment presents unique legal challenges, including in a wrongful death claim. It also emphasizes the need for legal advocacy for vulnerable populations, especially in incidents where negligence or criminal actions lead to harm or death.
Community Support and Call for Accountability: This incident demands legal scrutiny and community response to address the broader issues of road safety, support for the unhoused, and the moral obligation to accept responsibility for one’s actions.
Investigation Update: As the CHP continues its search for the driver, the legal process remains crucial for the Price family to seek justice and closure. This case should remind drivers of their legal, ethical, and societal responsibilities, especially in the circumstances leading to such irrevocable loss.
News sources: Original ABC30 article and ABC30 Update
Absolutely I knew mr.price as he was a neighbor of mine and he was a good man he was suffering health issues and still would help his friends when ever possible law enforcement should be making a man hunt for this driver god forbid they get behind the wheel of another vehicle and children are involved or another human being for that matter
Hi Andreadora:
Thank you for your comment. This is a tragic case and our thoughts are with the family. Please let us know if we can be of assistance as these are the types of cases we help with all of the time. There is justice for the family and loved ones available that can be sought and fought for.