Published: August 2, 2026
By: Yaghmai Law Firm, APC
(Riverside, CA) – A man who worked at a Riverside hospital was struck and killed by a driver fleeing from police near the medical center where he was employed, according to authorities.
Riverside police said officers first tried to stop a driver at about 11:40 a.m. Monday over a suspected vehicle code violation. The driver briefly pulled over but then drove off along Magnolia Avenue, prompting a pursuit, police said.
During the chase, the fleeing vehicle struck a 42-year-old man near Kaiser Riverside Medical Center. He was brought inside the facility, where he later died of his injuries.
Authorities briefly shut down eastbound Magnolia Avenue between Skofstad Street and Polk Street, as well as every lane on Park Sierra Drive, for several hours while investigators worked the scene. Police said the driver had not been identified and remained at large as of Tuesday afternoon, and that no description of the suspect or vehicle had been released.
In a statement, Kaiser Permanente said it was "deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our employees in a traffic incident near Riverside Medical Center on July 27" and directed questions about the crash to the Riverside Police Department. Investigators are continuing to search for the driver and have asked anyone with information to contact the department.
Know Your Rights After a Crash
After a serious crash, California law gives injured people and families limited time to act. Evidence like vehicle data, camera footage, and witness memories fades quickly. A free, no-obligation case review can help you understand your options. Call or text (888) 800-6731, or start a free case review online. Asistencia en español disponible.
Analysis of the Riverside Pursuit Collision
When a fleeing driver strikes and kills a person, investigators typically reconstruct the vehicle's speed, path, and the circumstances of the pursuit. Under California's Basic Speed Law, Vehicle Code section 22350, a driver may not travel faster than is reasonable and prudent for the conditions; if evidence later shows an unsafe speed, that statute could figure into how a civil claim is evaluated. Because officers reported that the driver fled after initially stopping, conduct that may implicate Vehicle Code sections 2800.1 and 2800.2, which address evading a pursuing officer, could also be examined. Where a death results from unlawful driving, prosecutors may consider vehicular manslaughter under Penal Code section 192(c). None of these determinations has been made here, and no fault has been established.
In civil terms, California law under Civil Code section 1714(a) holds a person responsible for harm caused by a lack of ordinary care. Evidence Code section 669 allows a presumption of negligence when someone violates a safety statute that proximately causes the type of harm the law was meant to prevent, to a person the law protects. If a jury found more than one party partly at fault, Civil Code section 1431.2 governs how non-economic damages are apportioned by percentage of responsibility.
Because a police pursuit was involved, any claim touching a public agency raises additional questions. Vehicle Code section 17004.7 can provide immunity to an agency that has adopted and annually trained on a compliant written pursuit policy for injuries caused by a fleeing suspect's vehicle. Claims against a public entity are also subject to strict procedural rules, including the six-month government-claim deadline in Government Code section 911.2 and the requirement in Government Code section 945.4 that a claim be presented and rejected before suit.
What Families Can Do
A family navigating a sudden loss like this can start by obtaining the official collision report and preserving any available evidence, such as surveillance video, witness contacts, and vehicle data. A survival claim may pass to a decedent's successor in interest under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.30, and eligible relatives may pursue a wrongful death action under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60; the measure of recoverable damages is set by Civil Code section 3333. Most personal injury and wrongful death claims carry a two-year filing deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, and claims involving a public entity have much shorter windows, so timing matters. Families with questions about their options can Were you, or someone you love, involved in this crash? A Riverside Car Accident Lawyer at Yaghmai Law Firm can explain your options and deal with the insurance companies for you. Call or text (888) 800-6731 or request a free case review.
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About the Author
Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney of Yaghmai Law Firm, APC. California State Bar No. 298487. Speaks English, French, and Persian. The firm represents personal injury clients throughout Southern California – consultations by phone, text, or video, no office visits required.
This post was assembled with AI assistance from publicly reported news sources cited below. All California Vehicle Code references were verified against leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Facts were re-checked via additional web searches before publication. This post is based on initial news reports and may be updated as new facts develop. Nothing in this article is legal advice. Yaghmai Law Firm, APC is not associated with the investigating agencies and does not represent any party named in this post unless explicitly stated.
Sources:
1. RSS_FOXLA – Kaiser Permanente employee struck, killed by fleeing driver in Riverside police chase: https://www.foxla.com/news/kaiser-permanente-employee-killed-riverside-police-chase
