I’m Ed Smith, an Auburn auto accident attorney. Two teenage males were traveling along Highway 49 on the afternoon of Thursday, December 15, 2016. Sadly, the commute for the two best friends turned into a fatal tragedy.
What Happened?
Two young men were driving southbound along Highway 49 in their white 1999 BMW at about 1:00 pm. At that time, there was a major storm sweeping through Northern California creating heavy rainfall during this hour for the two teens. For reasons that have not been determined, the driver of the BMW veered into oncoming traffic in the northbound lane and his vehicle was broadsided by a utility truck. The motorist of the utility truck sustained minor injuries in the accident. Unfortunately, the two young men suffered major injuries in the accident and were pronounced deceased at the scene.
What Caused the Accident?
The cause of the auto accident has not been officially determined by authorities at this time. However, the motorist of the BMW may have been driving too fast for the weather conditions moments before the accident. Investigators determined that both teenagers were utilizing seat belts at the time of the crash.
Watch YouTube Video – By: The AJ – Two Dead in Highway 49 Crash in North Auburn
The following video demonstrates the severe extent of collision damage to the white BMW that was carrying the two teenagers. The video shows emergency crews at the scene assisting in this accident. The crash caused the BMW to become mangled and nearly split in half. Viewer discretion is advised for this video due to the severe nature of this deadly accident.
Students Involved in Fatal Crash
The Placer County Coroner’s Unit and Sheriff’s Office released the identities of the two 18-year-old males involved in this accident. The motorist was identified as 18-year-old Jude Alexander Douden from Auburn and the passenger was identified as 18-year-old Joseph Devon Rantz of Grass Valley. Both of these young men were students at Bear River High School. Douden and Rantz were described as “two peas in a pod” by family members. Both Douden and Rantz were gifted and showed their talents at school. Rantz was an outstanding baseball player for the school and Douden was a superb saxophonist for the school’s jazz band.
We extend our condolences to the loved ones of these two young men that passed away in this tragic accident.
Highway 49 Safety Concerns
The infrastructure of Highway 49 may have contributed to this tragic accident. Other motorists have mentioned that this stretch of road has a posted speed limit of 65 miles per hour. However, many drivers drive over the speed limit that can be presumed by the absence of authorities enforcing the posted speed limit. Another factor that may have contributed to this crash was the lack of a concrete barrier separating the opposite lanes of travel. The concrete barrier would have separated oncoming traffic and prevented the head-on collision between the BMW and the truck.
Auburn Auto Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Auburn auto accident lawyer. If you or a loved one have suffered severe or fatal injuries as the result of an automobile crash, please call me at (916) 921-6400 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice.
I have been proudly serving families from Auburn with their claims regarding their personal injuries and wrongful deaths of their loved ones for over 34 years.
Before you contact me, check out my superb client ratings on: Avvo, Google and Yelp.
I am a California member for the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Our injury lawyers have a successful history of Verdicts and Settlements.
I am the creator of AutoAccident.com.
Information Source for Highway 49 Crash Kills Two Teens: http://fox40.com/2016/12/16/accident-that-killed-two-teens-raises-safety-concerns-about-highway-49/
Image Source: Wiki Media Commons – phantom.jpg
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