A 13-year old Malibu teenager lost her life in a fatal Los Angeles County child injury accident that occurred on April 3, 2010 on Pacific Coast Highway. The accident happened at around 5 p.m. when the girl was walking back home.

The victim, Emily Rose Shane, was on her way back home after attending school at Malibu High when she was hit by a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. It is believed that she was deliberately hit by the 26-year-old driver, Sina Khankhanian. Khankhanian claimed to be drunk while driving.  However, that was found to be baseless. The police are also looking out for a 20-something Asian man who was seen clicking pictures of the accident.

Our office offers our heartfelt condolences and prayers to Shane’s family and friends. We hope that the mystery surrounding the teen’s death is cleared up and the guilty person is soon brought to justice. Drivers need to be very careful while driving around areas that are populated, like shopping complexes and schools.  It is particularly disturbing that the driver in this accident may have been intentionally trying to strike a pedestrian with his vehicle.  Motor vehicles are potentially dangerous weapons and should be treated as such by motorists.  They are not merely a mode of transportation.

Ross Jurewitz is a Los Angeles child injury lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group, a California law firm dedicated to representing people seriously injured and the families of people killed by the negligence of others.  If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a drunk driving auto accident in California, please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz’s book, The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is full of helpful information that will help you protect your legal rights and it is free to all California residents.