3 Pedestrians Injured in San Francisco Pedestrian Accident at Mission Street and 23rd Street; Stephen Kernan Arrested
San Francisco, California (February 14, 2020) – The driver who caused a traffic accident that injured three pedestrians Wednesday afternoon in the Mission District neighborhood has been identified.
The accident happened at around 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, February 12 at the intersection of Mission Street and 23rd Street.
Authorities said a burgundy Toyota Prius was heading westbound on 23rd street and was making a right turn onto Mission Street against a red light when it crashed into a Muni bus and pinned a male pedestrian who was in the crosswalk.
The Prius then drove onto the sidewalk, where it hit a man and a 69-year-old woman who had just exited the bus.
The two male pedestrians, ages 49 and 34, both from San Francisco, were transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. The woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Prius, Stephen Kernan, 62, initially fled the scene, but then later returned and was detained. He was taken into custody for running a red light and two counts of not stopping for an accident resulting in an injury.
The accident remains under investigation.
A person on foot is no match for a vehicle. Pedestrians have virtually no protection when they are hit by cars, motorcycles, trucks, and other vehicles. Sadly, this often leads to catastrophic injuries and/or death. “Due to the incredibly serious nature of these types of injuries, pedestrian accident cases often require special care in order to help ensure victims receive the full compensation they need for extensive medical bills, ongoing rehabilitation therapy, in-home care, lost past and future earnings, and numerous other economic and non-economic damages”, Said Arin Khodaverdian, an experienced pedestrian accident attorney.
Arin noted that pedestrians, in most instances, have the right-of-way when crossing a street or an intersection. According to Arin, to properly investigate a pedestrian crash and prove negligence, enough resources are required. “A skilled attorney has the resources and will help investigate the accident to determine the party at fault,” Arin said