'02 owner dies in fiery accident.

[InkaSteve]

Are you guys sure it was the 2002 owner who died?

I agree, the damage to the 02 doesn't look like it would have caused a fataility. The E36 looks much worse, especially in the front.

It appears that the '02 got "T-boned" further up the street and dragged to its final resting place. I believe the driver died from trauma from the side impact not the fire. The E36 just burned up without anyone in it. Very sad for everyone involved.

[ingraham]

That's what the news is reporting this morning. He told investigators he had one three weeks ago.

[MatthewCervi]

It appears that the '02 got "T-boned" further up the street and dragged to its final resting place. I believe the driver died from trauma from the side impact not the fire.

I hadn't noticed the original pictures from the front where you can see how far in the impact came on the side. Very sad.

Unfortunately, our cars aren't very safe except in a front-end crash. Be careful everyone.

[Delia]

I'm with you on this one Mike,

The '02 looks to have been legally parked. The moto underneath it was parked behind it. The cars (E36 and Buick) careening down the street after their impact likely bounced off of the '02, and pushed it into the moto, knocking it over and spilling fuel. The fuel eventually ignited from the burning vehicles farther down the hill.

One eyewitness in an interview today (Saturday) said that just after the injured driver was pulled from the burning (BMW) car, "it blew up." That would be the E36 and not the '02.

A tragedy nonetheless.

Delia

[robspeed]

I'm with you on this one Mike,

The '02 looks to have been legally parked. The moto underneath it was parked behind it. The cars (E36 and Buick) careening down the street after their impact likely bounced off of the '02, and pushed it into the moto, knocking it over and spilling fuel. The fuel eventually ignited from the burning vehicles farther down the hill.

One eyewitness in an interview today (Saturday) said that just after the injured driver was pulled from the burning (BMW) car, "it blew up." That would be the E36 and not the '02.

A tragedy nonetheless.

Delia

You are ignoring the eyewitnesses. The buick crossed over the center line and oncoming lane/s (seizure time) and RAMMED into the side of the 02, as it was turning right, possibly giving the elderly driver a heart attack. (It gives me the willies just LOOKING at the damage)....

Look at the side of the 02 and the way the rear subframe has been buckled (and kicked out the rear wheel.) That has to be a major impact. Once it smashed the 02, the buick rolled down the line of cars, coming to rest against the e36. If you dont believe me, simply look at where the 02 is "parked legally"... that is Motorcycle parking! And it didnt end up there with a gentle nudge. That 02 was hit HARD (hard enough to knock the center kidney loose!) and it was pushed out of the traffic lane, into the motorcycles, and up onto the curb (front tire)... Also you can tell the fire originated there because the car directly behind/down the hill is absolutely torched.

R.I.P. and thoughts and prayers for everyone else involved. Even seizure dood,,, its going to be a hard thing to have to live with, if he lives...

[andrewro]

What Rob said makes total sense to me now. I see that the 2002 is in motorcycle parking - also that the fire is pretty much behind the 02 - the front end of the 02 escaped the fire so that should mean the fire began behind the 02 - or at the rear of the 02 - and worked its way through the other cars.

It's just amazing so much desctruction can come from such an accident! The accident itself isn't that uncommon but the added destruction is something you don't see every day. What a tough thing to have happen.

Andrew

[robspeed]

i take back what i said about the 02 driver possibly having a heart attack... im sure he might have, but looking again at the pics, he was probably killed by the impact. 4500lb buick doing 40-50+... and just look how the 02 is caved in.... that secondary impact (human body against interior of car body) must have been absolutely brutal. (The only reason why Jenna wasnt killed instantly in her accident was because of the saturn's fat doorpanel and B-panel padding, not existent in an 02.)

Im guessing it was shot into the motorcycles and up onto the curb like a billiard ball, leaving the buick free to roll down and rest against the e36 (if it is an e36.. could be a friggin pontiac...)

[andrewro]

I rode with a tow truck driver a few years ago who had towed a suburban or similar such vehicle from an accident scene. The kid in the Sub had pulled out in front of a cement truck. No good!

[Guest Anonymous]

Here is an update published in the SJ Mercury just on Saturday.

Apr. 29 - KGO - A fiery crash in San Francisco's Castro District that killed one man may have been caused by a driver suffering from a seizure.

Police say a crash and explosion in the Castro district on Thursday evening may have been caused by man who told them he had a seizure behind the wheel.

The 50-year-old Paso Robles wine merchant ran a red light, lost control of his Buick, and slammed into a BMW on Castro Street. Both cars burst into flames. The fire spread and destroyed eight vehicles.

Police say tests show no alcohol was involved.

The unidentified man suffered non-life-threatening injuries from the crash. Several people pulled the driver in the BMW out of his car, but he died at the scene.

[Redtail]

I saw The Shining at the Castro Theater Saturday night. Still burn marks all down the streets and damage to some storefronts. surreal.