According to recent reports, witnesses have testified against a deaf motorist who accelerated through a crowd at Comic-Con’s Zombie Walk last summer. This stunt seriously injured a woman.
The witness, Saad Zaalan, a pedicab driver, stated that Matthew Pocci, the deaf motorist, was “super angry” before he accelerated and plowed through the “Zombie Walk” crowd. Witnesses say that he honked his horn and waved his arms to signal for walkers to get out of the way. Zaalan stated that he explained to the defendant that he would have to wait. However, the man rolled up his window. When people from the “Zombie Walk” jumped on his car, he drove off. It was at this moment he struck the woman, seriously injuring her arm.
Another witness, Zachariah Adams, an off-duty sheriff’s deputy, was enjoying the parade with his family when he heard and saw the commotion. He attempted to stop the defendant but was unsuccessful. After the incident, the defendant remained at the scene and was not initially charged.
In his defense, Matthew Pocci said he feared for his safety when parade participants began jumping on and punching his car. He claimed that someone even opened the rear door. In fear for himself, his girlfriend and a 9-year-old boy, he took off. If Pocci is convicted he faces three years in prison for felony reckless driving causing great bodily injury.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines “road rage” as an incident where a driver “commits moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property; an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger of one motor vehicle on the operator or passengers of another motor vehicle.”
Unfortunately, road rage is common on the road. Statistics reveal that 66 percent of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving. Over the last seven years, an estimated 218 murders and 12,610 injuries have been attributed to road rage.
Road rage is a serious issue on the roads. If you have been involved in an accident in which the at-fault driver showed signs of road rage, you may have a solid foundation for a personal injury suit. The team at the Gilleon Law Firm, APC in San Diego have the skill and legal knowledge you need to build a case and fight for your rights. Give us a call today for a free initial consultation.