A devastating multi-vehicle crash on Mack Road near Elsie Avenue in South Sacramento claimed one life and left two others injured on Sunday afternoon, December 14, 2025. The complex crash sequence, which began when a driver ran a red light, resulted in multiple vehicle impacts and the tragic death of a pedestrian. The violent chain reaction unfolded at one of South Sacramento’s busiest intersections during peak afternoon traffic, sending shockwaves through the local community.
Emergency responders arrived to find a chaotic scene with damaged vehicles scattered across multiple lanes, an overturned vehicle with an ejected occupant, and the fatal pedestrian impact that would mark this as one of Sacramento’s most serious traffic incidents of the year. The collision forced the complete closure of the intersection for several hours as California Highway Patrol investigators worked to document the extensive debris field and reconstruct the sequence of events that transformed a routine Sunday afternoon into a tragic loss of life.
Details of the South Sacramento Multi-Vehicle Crash
According to the California Highway Patrol, the collision occurred around 4:00 p.m. at the intersection of Mack Road and Elsie Avenue. Investigators determined that a vehicle traveling eastbound on Mack Road failed to stop at a red light and struck another vehicle that was turning right onto Elsie Avenue from Stockton Boulevard.
The force of the initial impact caused one of the vehicles traveling through the intersection to be pushed to the left, where it struck a pedestrian who was standing on a concrete island that separates the eastbound and westbound lanes. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.
CHP stated that the vehicle that struck the pedestrian continued into the westbound lanes of Elsie Avenue and collided with multiple additional vehicles. In the ensuing chaos, a person inside an overturned vehicle was ejected and may have been struck by another vehicle.
The driver who struck the pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with minor to moderate injuries. Another individual was taken to a hospital with complaints of minor injuries.
Investigators said it was not yet known whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to reconstruct the exact sequence of events and determine all contributing factors.
Understanding California’s Red Light Running Laws
Running a red light is not only dangerous but also illegal under California Vehicle Code Section 21453. This statute requires drivers to stop at a red signal and remain stopped until the signal shows green. Violating this law can result in fines, points on a driver’s license, and civil liability if an accident occurs.
Red light running is a leading cause of intersection crashes in California. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, these violations result in hundreds of fatalities and tens of thousands of injuries nationwide each year. The consequences can be particularly severe when the violation leads to a chain reaction of collisions, as occurred in this South Sacramento incident.
Drivers who run red lights and cause accidents can be held liable for all resulting damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and, in fatal cases, wrongful death damages for surviving family members.
The Dangers of Multi-Vehicle Intersection Crashes
Intersection crashes involving multiple vehicles present unique dangers and complexities. When an initial collision occurs at an intersection, the force and trajectory of impacted vehicles can create secondary collisions that extend the zone of danger far beyond the original point of impact.
This South Sacramento crash illustrates how a single act of negligence—running a red light—can trigger a chain reaction of collisions involving multiple vehicles and pedestrians. The concrete island that typically serves as a safety refuge for pedestrians became the site of a fatal impact when one vehicle was pushed out of its lane.
Multi-vehicle crashes also complicate the investigation and determination of liability. While the initial red light violation may be clear, understanding how each subsequent collision occurred requires detailed accident reconstruction, witness statements, available surveillance footage, and physical evidence from the scene.
Pedestrian Safety at Sacramento Intersections
Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable road users, and even designated safety zones, such as concrete medians, cannot always protect them from the consequences of driver negligence. California law requires drivers to exercise reasonable care for the safety of pedestrians at all times, regardless of their location.
Sacramento has experienced a significant increase in pedestrian fatalities in recent years, prompting city officials to implement various safety improvements, including enhanced crosswalk markings, pedestrian signals with countdown timers, and traffic calming measures. However, no infrastructure improvement can fully compensate for drivers who fail to obey traffic signals and exercise proper caution.
Pedestrians struck by vehicles often suffer catastrophic injuries or death due to the lack of protection compared to vehicle occupants. Even when standing in what should be a safe location, as this victim was, pedestrians remain at risk when drivers lose control of their vehicles.
Emergency Response to the Mack Road Collision
The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene, along with personnel from the Sacramento Fire Department and emergency medical services. Multi-vehicle crashes involving pedestrians require coordinated response efforts to address multiple victims, secure the scene, and preserve evidence.
Emergency responders faced the challenge of treating injured parties while also attending to the fatal pedestrian impact. The overturned vehicle with an ejected occupant required immediate extrication and medical attention. Traffic on Mack Road and Elsie Avenue was significantly impacted as investigators worked to document the scene and clear the roadway.
The CHP’s Major Accident Investigation Team likely responded to conduct a thorough reconstruction of the collision sequence. This process can take weeks or months to complete as investigators analyze physical evidence, vehicle data recorders, witness statements, and any available video footage.
Legal Rights After a Multi-Vehicle Accident in Sacramento
Victims of multi-vehicle crashes and families who have lost loved ones in traffic accidents have important legal rights under California law. Determining liability in complex multi-vehicle collisions requires thorough investigation and legal expertise to identify all responsible parties and available insurance coverage.
Victims may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical expenses, including emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, and ongoing care
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Property damage to vehicles and personal belongings
- Pain and suffering, including physical pain and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life and permanent disability
- In fatal cases, wrongful death damages include funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and loss of financial support
California operates under a pure comparative negligence system, which means that even if a victim bears some responsibility for an accident, they can still recover damages reduced by their percentage of fault. However, when a driver runs a red light and causes a collision, they typically bear the overwhelming share of liability.
It’s crucial for accident victims and their families to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney who can investigate the crash, identify all liable parties, deal with insurance companies, and pursue full compensation for all losses.
Wrongful Death Claims in California Traffic Accidents
When negligence results in a fatality, surviving family members may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60. This legal action allows certain family members to seek compensation for the losses they’ve suffered due to their loved one’s death.
Eligible parties who can file a wrongful death claim include:
- The surviving spouse or domestic partner
- Surviving children of the deceased
- If there is no surviving spouse or children, other individuals who would be entitled to the deceased’s property under intestate succession laws
- Anyone financially dependent on the deceased
Wrongful death damages can include funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support the deceased would have provided, loss of companionship and consortium, and the loss of guidance and care that the deceased would have provided to their family.
The pedestrian killed in this South Sacramento crash was standing in what should have been a safe location when they were struck by a vehicle pushed out of control by the initial red light violation. Their family may have grounds for a wrongful death claim against the driver who ran the red light and potentially other parties, depending on the investigation’s findings.
How GJEL Accident Attorneys Can Help
At GJEL Accident Attorneys, we have extensive experience representing victims of multi-vehicle crashes and families who have lost loved ones in traffic accidents throughout Northern California. Our team understands the complexities involved in investigating these collisions and holding negligent drivers accountable.
Our services include:
- Comprehensive investigation of the accident, including retention of accident reconstruction experts when necessary
- Identification of all liable parties and available insurance coverage
- Handling all communication with insurance companies to protect your rights
- Gathering evidence, including police reports, witness statements, surveillance footage, and medical records
- Calculating the full value of your claim, including both economic and non-economic damages
- Negotiating aggressively for maximum compensation
- Taking your case to trial if insurance companies refuse to offer fair settlements
Since our founding in 1972, GJEL Accident Attorneys has recovered over $1 billion for our clients. Our attorneys have consistently been recognized among the top personal injury lawyers in California, and we maintain a track record of successful results in even the most complex cases.
We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. This arrangement ensures that everyone has access to quality legal representation regardless of their financial situation, and it aligns our interests with yours—we only succeed when you do.
Preventing Red Light Running and Intersection Crashes
While no safety measure can prevent all accidents, drivers can take steps to reduce the risk of intersection collisions:
Defensive driving practices include:
- Coming to a complete stop at red lights, even when no other traffic is visible
- Looking left, right, and left again before proceeding through an intersection on a green light
- Avoiding distracted driving, particularly when approaching intersections
- Never speeding, especially when approaching traffic signals that may change
- Being particularly cautious during adverse weather conditions that can affect stopping distances
- Watching for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists who may be less visible
For pedestrians, safety measures include using marked crosswalks, obeying pedestrian signals, making eye contact with drivers before crossing, and remaining alert even when in designated safety zones.
Sacramento transportation officials continue to study intersection safety and implement improvements where crash data indicates problems. However, the most effective safety measure remains driver compliance with traffic laws and attention to road conditions.
Understanding Wrongful Death Settlement Calculators
Wrongful death settlement calculators are valuable tools that help families understand the potential compensation they may be entitled to after losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence. These calculators work by considering both economic and non-economic damages to provide an estimated range of settlement values.
Economic damages include quantifiable losses, such as the deceased’s expected lifetime earnings, benefits, and financial contributions to the household, as well as funeral and burial expenses and medical bills incurred before death. The calculator typically factors in the deceased’s age, occupation, income level, and work-life expectancy to project future financial losses.
Non-economic damages, which are more subjective, account for the loss of companionship, love, guidance, and support that surviving family members will experience. While these calculators provide helpful estimates by inputting variables such as the victim’s annual income, number of dependents, and circumstances of death, they cannot fully capture the complexity of each unique case.
Factors such as the degree of negligence involved, the defendant’s conduct, available insurance coverage, and the specific jurisdiction’s laws all significantly impact final settlement values. Additionally, California’s pure comparative negligence system may adjust awards based on the degree of shared fault. For these reasons, wrongful death settlement calculators should be viewed as starting points for understanding potential compensation rather than definitive predictions.
An experienced wrongful death attorney can provide a more accurate case valuation by conducting a thorough investigation, consulting with economic experts, reviewing similar case outcomes, and accounting for the specific circumstances that make each loss unique and irreplaceable. Call us now at +1-866-218-3776 to speak with our experts.
Take Action Today – Get the Help You Deserve
“This intersection tragedy shows how one driver’s split-second decision to run a red light can shatter multiple lives in an instant. The pedestrian who lost their life was standing in what should have been a safe refuge—a concrete median designed specifically to protect people—yet they still became a victim of someone else’s reckless choice. My heart goes out to their family during this unimaginably difficult time. For the injured survivors and the family of the deceased, I want you to know that California law provides pathways to justice and financial recovery. The driver who ran that red light must be held accountable, not just for the initial collision, but for every consequence that followed—the chain reaction of impacts, the injuries, and most tragically, the loss of life. Insurance companies will often attempt to minimize these complex, multi-vehicle cases, arguing about causation and seeking to reduce their liability. However, the facts here appear clear: this devastation originated from a single illegal act. If you were injured in this crash or lost a loved one, don’t face the insurance companies alone. You deserve an attorney who will fight to document every aspect of how this collision has affected your life, who will bring in accident reconstruction experts if needed, and who won’t settle for less than full compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and in wrongful death cases, the immeasurable loss of your loved one’s presence in your life. Time is critical—evidence fades, witnesses’ memories dim, and California law imposes strict deadlines. Reach out today for a free consultation, and let us carry the legal burden while you focus on healing.” — Andy Gillin, Managing Partner, GJEL Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been impacted by this devastating Mack Road collision or any multi-vehicle accident in Sacramento, don’t wait to protect your legal rights. The team at GJEL Accident Attorneys is ready to stand by your side and fight for the full compensation you deserve. We understand that after a serious accident or tragic loss, the last thing you need is the stress of worrying about legal fees, which is why we work exclusively on a contingency fee basis—you pay absolutely nothing unless we successfully recover compensation for you.
There are no upfront costs, no hourly billing, and no out-of-pocket expenses for our services. We cover all the costs of investigating your case, hiring expert witnesses, and building the most substantial possible claim. We only receive payment if and when you receive a settlement or verdict. This contingency fee structure ensures that everyone has equal access to experienced legal representation regardless of their financial situation, and it means our success is directly tied to yours.
Time is of the essence in personal injury and wrongful death cases—California’s statute of limitations imposes strict deadlines, critical evidence can disappear, and insurance companies are already working to minimize their liability. Contact GJEL Accident Attorneys today for your free, no-obligation consultation. Our compassionate legal team is available 24/7 to listen to your story, answer your questions, evaluate your case, and explain your options for pursuing justice.
Don’t face the insurance companies alone—let our decades of experience and proven track record of recovering over $1 billion for our clients work for you. Let our experienced legal team shoulder the legal burden while you focus on what matters most – your family’s healing and recovery. Contact us today at +1-866-218-3776 or visit our Walnut Creek office for free legal advice.
Local Resources for Sacramento Accident Victims
California Highway Patrol – South Sacramento Area Office 6509 Florin Perkins Road Sacramento, CA 95828 Phone: (916) 681-7700 CHP South Sacramento Area
Sacramento Police Department 5770 Freeport Boulevard, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95822 Non-Emergency: (916) 808-5471 Emergency: 911 Sacramento Police Department For accident reports, traffic collision information, and victim services
Sacramento Police Department – Records Unit 5770 Freeport Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95822 Phone: (916) 808-0888 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM For obtaining copies of traffic collision reports
Sacramento Fire Department 5770 Freeport Boulevard, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95822 Emergency: 911 Non-Emergency: (916) 808-1300 Sacramento Fire Department
Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) 1415 L Street, Suite 300 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 321-9000 SACOG – Traffic Safety Regional transportation planning agency working on traffic safety initiatives
Sacramento County Department of Transportation 827 7th Street, Room 200 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 874-6291 Sacramento County DOT For reporting traffic safety concerns and road hazards
City of Sacramento Department of Public Works – Transportation Division 915 I Street, 2nd Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 808-5704 Sacramento Public Works – Transportation For traffic signal issues, pedestrian safety concerns, and intersection improvements
UC Davis Medical Center (Level I Trauma Center) 2315 Stockton Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95817 Phone: (916) 734-2011 Emergency Department: (916) 734-2012 UC Davis Health
Mercy General Hospital 4001 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819 Phone: (916) 453-4545 Emergency Department: (916) 453-4424 Dignity Health – Mercy General
Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento 2801 L Street Sacramento, CA 95816 Phone: (916) 454-3333 Sutter Health Sacramento
California Department of Motor Vehicles – Sacramento Downtown Sacramento Office 4700 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95820 Phone: 1-800-777-0133 DMV Office Locations For driver records, license issues, and vehicle registration
Sacramento County Coroner’s Office 4800 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95820 Phone: (916) 874-9320 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM For information regarding fatalities and death investigations
California Victim Compensation Board Phone: 1-800-777-9229 Victim Compensation Financial assistance for victims of violent crimes, including vehicular crimes
Victims of Crime Resource Center Phone: 1-800-842-8467 Victim Resources Comprehensive victim assistance and support services
Sacramento Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program City of Sacramento Department of Public Works 915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 808-5704 Vision Zero Sacramento City initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Phone: 1-888-327-4236 NHTSA – California Federal traffic safety resources and vehicle safety information
California Office of Traffic Safety 2208 Kausen Drive, Suite 300 Elk Grove, CA 95758 Phone: (916) 509-3030 Office of Traffic Safety Statewide traffic safety programs and resources
Walk Sacramento 909 12th Street, Suite 118 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 446-9255 Walk Sacramento Non-profit organization promoting pedestrian safety and walkable communities
Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) 1400 29th Street Sacramento, CA 95816 Phone: (916) 321-2877 SacRT Customer Service Alternative transportation options during recovery
Legal Aid Society of Sacramento 515 12th Street Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 551-2150 Legal Services of Northern California Free legal assistance for qualifying low-income residents
Sacramento County Bar Association – Lawyer Referral Service 901 H Street, Suite 101 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 564-6551 SCBA Lawyer Referral
