A tragic e-scooter accident claimed the life of a 61-year-old Rohnert Park resident on the morning after Christmas in Santa Rosa, California. The fatal accident occurred at a busy intersection during morning commute hours, highlighting the ongoing safety concerns surrounding vulnerable road users and the challenges of sharing roadways between traditional vehicles and alternative transportation methods. The collision serves as a somber reminder that e-scooter riders face significant dangers when traveling on roads shared with larger vehicles, particularly at intersections where turning movements create complex conflict points.
This tragedy adds to the growing number of e-scooter-related fatalities across California, underscoring the urgent need for increased driver awareness, improved infrastructure to protect vulnerable road users, and continued education about the rights and responsibilities of all who share our roadways. For the victim’s family, this devastating loss during the holiday season compounds their grief, as they face the unimaginable pain of losing a loved one in a preventable accident that has forever changed their lives.
Details of the Santa Rosa Avenue Collision
According to the Santa Rosa Police Department, the fatal accident took place at approximately 8:11 AM on Friday, December 26, 2025, at the intersection of Santa Rosa Avenue and El Portal Drive. Officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department and personnel from the Santa Rosa Fire Department responded to reports of a crash with injuries.
Upon arrival, first responders discovered the e-scooter rider deceased at the scene. The victim, a 61-year-old resident of nearby Rohnert Park, was pronounced dead at the location of the collision. Authorities have withheld the victim’s identity pending notification of next of kin, following standard protocol in fatal accident investigations.
The intersection of Santa Rosa Avenue and El Portal Drive is situated in a bustling commercial area of Santa Rosa, featuring multiple retail establishments, restaurants, and parking lots that create complex traffic patterns. Santa Rosa Avenue itself is a major north-south arterial road that carries significant vehicle traffic throughout the day, even during early morning hours.
The collision occurred during the post-holiday period, when traffic patterns may have been lighter than typical weekday commute hours, yet still presented challenges for both motorists and vulnerable road users. The parking lot from which the Chevrolet Tahoe was exiting serves multiple businesses, creating a location where drivers must navigate turning movements while watching for pedestrians, cyclists, and e-scooter riders traveling along the main roadway.
This type of intersection—where vehicles exit private property onto busy arterial roads—is statistically associated with higher collision rates due to the multiple conflict points and the difficulty drivers face in judging gaps in traffic while simultaneously checking for smaller vehicles and alternative transportation users.
How the Accident Occurred
Investigators determined that the collision occurred when a Chevrolet Tahoe was making a southbound left turn onto Santa Rosa Avenue from a parking lot. At the same time, the victim was traveling northbound on the e-scooter along Santa Rosa Avenue.
The 30-year-old Santa Rosa resident driving the SUV told investigators that they did not see the e-scooter before the impact occurred. This type of “failure to yield” or “failure to see” scenario is unfortunately common in accidents involving smaller vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles, and e-scooters, particularly when larger vehicles are making turning movements.
The driver of the Tahoe stopped immediately following the collision, contacted emergency services, remained at the scene, and has been cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. No injuries to the driver were reported. Santa Rosa Avenue at El Portal Drive was temporarily closed while investigators documented the scene and collected evidence; however, it has since reopened to traffic.
E-Scooter Safety Concerns in California
E-scooters have become an increasingly popular mode of transportation in California cities, providing a convenient and environmentally friendly alternative for short trips. However, their rise in popularity has been accompanied by serious safety concerns. E-scooter riders are highly vulnerable in traffic due to several factors:
Limited visibility: E-scooters have a small profile compared to cars and trucks, making them difficult for drivers to see, especially when making turns or checking blind spots.
Lack of protective equipment: Unlike occupants of motor vehicles, e-scooter riders have no protective structure around them and may suffer catastrophic injuries even in relatively low-speed collisions.
Speed differentials: E-scooters typically travel at speeds between 15 and 20 mph, creating significant speed differences with motor vehicle traffic that can increase the likelihood and severity of accidents.
Infrastructure limitations: Many roadways were designed before the advent of e-scooters and lack dedicated lanes or appropriate separation from vehicle traffic.
According to the California Vehicle Code, e-scooter riders must follow the same rules as bicycle riders and are entitled to the same rights and protections on the roadway. However, the practical reality is that e-scooter riders face significant risks when sharing roads with larger, faster vehicles.
Legal Rights After an E-Scooter Accident
When an e-scooter rider is killed or seriously injured in a collision with a motor vehicle, several legal considerations come into play:
Driver Negligence: If a driver fails to exercise reasonable care—such as failing to check for vulnerable road users before making a turn—they may be held liable for resulting injuries or death. In this case, the driver’s statement that they “did not see” the e-scooter rider may be evidence of negligence if a reasonably careful driver should have observed the rider.
Right-of-Way Violations: California law requires drivers making left turns to yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic, including e-scooters, bicycles, and motorcycles. A violation of this rule that results in a collision can establish liability.
Wrongful Death Claims: When a collision results in a fatality, the victim’s surviving family members may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim. These claims can seek compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship and guidance, and the emotional trauma of losing a loved one.
Insurance Coverage: California requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. In accidents involving serious injuries or death, victims or their families may be able to recover compensation through the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. However, if the available insurance is insufficient, additional avenues for compensation may need to be explored.
Comparative Fault: California follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule, meaning that even if the e-scooter rider shared some fault for the accident, their family may still recover damages, reduced proportionally by the rider’s percentage of fault.
Challenges Unique to E-Scooter Accident Cases
E-scooter accident cases present unique challenges compared to traditional vehicle collision cases:
Evidence Collection: Because e-scooters are small and the riders are vulnerable, physical evidence at the scene may be limited. Witness statements, surveillance video, and accident reconstruction may be crucial in determining the circumstances of the collision.
Helmet Use: While California law does not require adults to wear helmets while riding e-scooters, the absence of a helmet may become an issue in litigation, even though it typically does not affect a driver’s liability for causing the collision.
E-Scooter Company Involvement: If the e-scooter was rented from a company like Lime, Bird, or Spin, questions may arise about the condition and maintenance of the scooter. However, in most cases of turning collisions like this one, the vehicle driver’s negligence is the primary factor.
Severity of Injuries: E-scooter accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or death due to the rider’s vulnerability. This makes thorough investigation and maximum recovery even more critical for victims and their families.
What Families Should Do After a Fatal E-Scooter Accident
Losing a loved one in a traffic accident is devastating, and families often feel overwhelmed by grief while also facing difficult practical and legal decisions. If your family member has been killed in an e-scooter accident, consider these critical steps:
Preserve Evidence: If possible, document the accident scene with photographs, obtain contact information from witnesses, and request copies of the police report as soon as it becomes available.
Avoid Early Settlement Offers: Insurance companies may contact grieving families soon after an accident with settlement offers. These initial offers are often far below the actual value of a wrongful death claim and should not be accepted without legal guidance.
Understand Your Rights: California law provides specific time limits for filing wrongful death claims. Generally, a claim must be filed within two years of the date of death, though certain circumstances may alter this timeline.
Consult an Experienced Attorney: Wrongful death cases involving e-scooter accidents require expertise in traffic laws, insurance regulations, and the specific challenges of cases involving vulnerable road users. An experienced personal injury attorney can investigate the accident, identify all potential sources of compensation, and advocate for your family’s rights.
Focus on Your Family: Legal representation allows you to focus on grieving and healing while professionals handle the complex legal process on your behalf.
How GJEL Accident Attorneys Can Help Your Family
At GJEL Accident Attorneys, we understand the profound impact of losing a loved one in a preventable traffic accident. Our firm has been representing accident victims and their families throughout Northern California for decades, recovering over $1 billion for our clients.
The loss of a life in an e-scooter accident is absolutely tragic and preventable. Drivers have a responsibility to watch for all road users, including those on e-scooters, bicycles, and motorcycles. When a driver fails to see a vulnerable road user and causes a fatal collision, the family deserves full accountability and compensation for their devastating loss. Our firm is committed to thoroughly investigating these cases and fighting for justice on behalf of grieving families.
Our experienced legal team will:
- Conduct a comprehensive investigation of the accident, including reviewing police reports, interviewing witnesses, and consulting with accident reconstruction experts
- Identify all liable parties and sources of insurance coverage
- Calculate the full value of your wrongful death claim, including economic and non-economic damages
- Handle all communications with insurance companies so you don’t have to
- Negotiate aggressively for maximum compensation
- Take your case to trial if necessary to achieve justice for your family
We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for your family. There is no financial risk in consulting with our firm, and no upfront costs to pursue your rightful claim.
Understanding Your Potential Compensation in an E-scooter Accident
While no amount of money can replace a loved one, wrongful death compensation serves to provide financial security and acknowledge the full impact of your loss. Damages in a wrongful death claim may include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Medical bills incurred before death
- Loss of the deceased’s expected earnings and financial support
- Loss of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions
- Loss of companionship, guidance, and emotional support
- Pain and suffering experienced by surviving family members
The specific value of a wrongful death claim depends on many factors, including the victim’s age, earning capacity, relationship with survivors, and the circumstances of the accident. In e-scooter fatality cases like this Santa Rosa collision, compensation calculations must account for the unique circumstances of the victim and their family.
For a 61-year-old victim, considerations include their remaining work-life expectancy, potential retirement income, ongoing contributions to household expenses, and the value of their guidance and companionship to surviving family members. If the victim were still working, economic damages would reflect their expected future earnings until retirement age.
Additionally, the sudden and traumatic nature of losing a loved one in a preventable traffic accident creates profound emotional damage that California law recognizes through non-economic compensation. Insurance policy limits often become a critical factor in these cases—California’s minimum liability coverage of $15,000 for injury or death to one person is woefully inadequate for a wrongful death claim, making it essential to identify all available insurance coverage, including the at-fault driver’s policy limits, any umbrella policies, and underinsured motorist coverage that may be available through the victim’s own insurance.
An experienced wrongful death attorney can thoroughly investigate all potential sources of compensation and work with economic experts to accurately calculate the full value of your family’s loss, ensuring that settlement negotiations or trial presentations reflect the actual financial and emotional impact of your loved one’s death.
E-Scooter Accident Settlement Calculators
E-scooter accident settlement calculators are valuable tools that help victims and their families understand the potential value of their personal injury or wrongful death claims. These online calculators take into account various factors specific to e-scooter accidents, including the severity of injuries or, in fatal cases, the victim’s age and earning capacity, medical expenses incurred, lost wages and future income loss, pain and suffering, and the long-term impact on quality of life.
For wrongful death cases involving e-scooter collisions, these calculators consider the victim’s life expectancy, their financial contributions to the household, the value of lost benefits and retirement income, funeral and burial costs, and the emotional damages suffered by surviving family members. While these calculators provide helpful estimates by applying established legal formulas and considering similar case outcomes, it’s essential to understand that they offer general ranges rather than exact figures.
Every e-scooter accident case is unique, with specific circumstances that can significantly affect the final settlement value—factors such as the clarity of liability, the driver’s insurance policy limits, the jurisdiction where the case is filed, the strength of available evidence, and the victim’s credibility all play crucial roles in determining actual compensation. GJEL Accident Attorneys offers a comprehensive settlement calculator on our website, specifically designed for California personal injury and wrongful death cases, incorporating our decades of experience handling vulnerable road user accidents.
However, the most accurate assessment of your case value comes from a detailed consultation with an experienced attorney who can review the specific facts of your situation, examine all available evidence, identify all liable parties and insurance coverage, and provide personalized guidance based on their knowledge of similar cases and current settlement trends in your jurisdiction. Call us now at +1-866-218-3776 to speak with our experts.
Our Commitment: No Fees Unless We Win Your Case
“The loss of a life in an e-scooter accident is absolutely heartbreaking, especially during what should have been a joyful holiday season. This tragedy at Santa Rosa Avenue and El Portal Drive represents a failure that never should have happened—drivers making turns have a legal obligation to look carefully for all road users, including those on e-scooters, bicycles, and motorcycles. When a driver says, ‘I didn’t see them,’ that’s often evidence of negligence, not an excuse. E-scooter riders have every right to use our roadways safely, and when that right is violated through careless driving, the consequences can be devastating. To the family grieving this loss, please know that you have legal rights and options during this impossibly difficult time. While nothing can bring back your loved one, holding the responsible party accountable can provide some measure of justice and the financial resources your family needs to move forward. You shouldn’t have to navigate insurance companies and legal complexities while mourning—that’s what we’re here for. Our firm has spent decades fighting for families who’ve lost loved ones in preventable accidents, and we’re committed to ensuring that every family receives the full compensation and accountability they deserve under California law.”- Andy Gillin, GJEL Accident Attorneys
If you’ve lost a loved one in an e-scooter accident in Santa Rosa or anywhere throughout Northern California, the compassionate legal team at GJEL Accident Attorneys is here to help your family seek justice and full compensation. We understand that this is an overwhelming and emotionally devastating time, and the last thing you should worry about is how to afford legal representation.
That’s why we work exclusively on a contingency fee basis—you pay absolutely nothing upfront, including no retainer fees, hourly charges, or out-of-pocket expenses. We only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for your family, which means our fee is a percentage of your settlement or verdict, never deducted from your pocket.
This “no win, no fee” structure ensures that every family, regardless of their financial situation, has access to experienced, aggressive legal representation when they need it most. Our firm has recovered over $1 billion for injured clients and their families, and we have the resources, expertise, and dedication to thoroughly investigate your case, identify all liable parties, negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, and take your case to trial if necessary to achieve the justice your family deserves.
Don’t face this arduous journey alone, and don’t let insurance companies pressure you into accepting less than your claim is worth. Contact GJEL Accident Attorneys today at +1-866-218-3776 or visit our Oakland office for your free, confidential case evaluation, and let our experienced wrongful death attorneys fight for your family’s rights. At the same time, you focus on healing and remembering your loved one.
Local Resources for Santa Rosa Accident Victims and Families
Santa Rosa Police Department – Traffic Division
965 Sonoma Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Non-Emergency: (707) 528-5222
Emergency: 911 Website: www.srcity.org/police
For obtaining accident reports and investigation information
Santa Rosa Police Department – Records Division
965 Sonoma Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: (707) 543-3636
Email: PDRecords@srcity.org
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
For requesting copies of traffic collision reports
Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA)
490 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 206, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Phone: (707) 565-5373
Website: www.scta.ca.gov
For information on road safety initiatives and traffic improvement projects
Sonoma County Coroner’s Office
3325 Chanate Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: (707) 565-5000
Website: www.sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/coroner
For information regarding death investigations and victim identification
Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital
30 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Emergency Department: (707) 576-4000
Main Hospital: (707) 576-4000
Website: www.sutterhealth.org/srh
Major trauma center serving the Santa Rosa area
Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center
401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Emergency Department: (707) 571-4000
Main Hospital: (707) 393-4000
Website: www.kp.org
Comprehensive medical services and emergency care
Memorial Hospital (St. Joseph Health)
1165 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95405
Main Hospital: (707) 546-3210
Emergency Department: (707) 525-5152
Website: www.stjoesonoma.org
Full-service hospital with emergency trauma services
California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) – Santa Rosa Office
3095 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: 1-800-777-0133
Website: www.dmv.ca.gov
For driver records, license issues, and vehicle registration information
California Highway Patrol (CHP) – Santa Rosa Area Office
4000 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 588-1400
24-Hour Dispatch: (707) 576-2175
Website: www.chp.ca.gov
For accidents on state highways and major roadways
California Victim Compensation Board
Phone: 1-800-777-9229
Website: www.victims.ca.gov
Email: info@victims.ca.gov
Provides financial assistance to victims of violent crime, including hit-and-run accidents, and for funeral expenses
Sonoma County Department of Health Services – Mental Health Services
3313 Chanate Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Crisis Line: (707) 576-8181
Main Office: (707) 565-6900
Website: www.sonomacounty.ca.gov/health-services/behavioral-health
Grief counseling and mental health support services
Sonoma County Family Justice Center
2755 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 100, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 565-8255
Hotline: (707) 542-1234
Website: www.sonomacounty.ca.gov/family-justice-center
Comprehensive victim services and support
Redwood Empire Chapter – American Red Cross
543 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 577-7600
Website: www.redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal
Emergency assistance and disaster services
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Phone: 988
Website: www.988lifeline.org
24/7 crisis support for anyone experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts
Crisis Text Line
Text “HELLO” to 741741
Website: www.crisistextline.org
Free, 24/7 text-based crisis support
The Compassionate Friends (Grief Support)
National Office: (877) 969-0010
Website: www.compassionatefriends.org
Support for families grieving the death of a child or loved one at any age
Sonoma County Superior Court
600 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 521-6500
Website: www.sonoma.courts.ca.gov
For legal proceedings related to wrongful death cases and civil litigation
California Courts Self-Help Center
Website: www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp.htm
Phone: (916) 323-3121
Provides information on court procedures, legal forms, and resources
State Bar of California – Lawyer Referral Service
Phone: 1-866-442-2529
Website: www.calbar.ca.gov
For finding qualified attorneys in Sonoma County
Sonoma County Law Library
600 Administration Drive, Room 107J, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 565-2267
Website: www.sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/county-law-library
Legal research resources and assistance
California Department of Insurance
Consumer Hotline: 1-800-927-4357
Website: www.insurance.ca.gov
For questions about insurance claims, disputes, and coverage issues
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Phone: 1-888-327-4236
Website: www.nhtsa.gov
Information on vehicle safety, recalls, and traffic safety resources
Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
c/o Transportation Authority
490 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 206, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Phone: (707) 565-5373
Website: www.scta.ca.gov
Advocacy and information on vulnerable road user safety
Social Security Administration – Santa Rosa Office
1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
Website: www.ssa.gov
For survivor benefits and related assistance after a loved one’s death
