Driver Forced Motorcyclist Off the Road, Caused Injuries

Date:  April 15, 2012
Location:  Highway 126, Lane County
Names:  Valentin Camarillo, Christopher Jenson, Kenneth Cornell, Phillip Davis, Amber Johnson

A group of three motorcyclists were arrested Sunday evening because they chased a car that had apparently deliberately run another motorcycle off the road and then driven off. The incident happened on Highway 126, near Eugene.

Dena Turner witnessed the entire episode and told KVAL.com the motorcycle riders were in the eastbound passing lane of Highway 126, when another vehicle drove into the middle of the group and deliberately drove one of the motorcyclists into the opposite lane. The rider on that bike, Valentin Camarillo, 66, of Roseburg, hit gravel, lost control and went off the motorcycle. The driver who caused the accident, later identified as Christopher Jenson, 27, of Springfield, drove off, and that’s when Turner said the other motorcyclists began chasing the vehicle.

Turner said, “These guys were riding…at a safe speed, and this guy went right into the middle of them.” She stopped and helped Camarillo, who Turner said was coherent but was complaining his back had been injured. He was transported to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center.

When the other cyclists caught up with the car, they surrounded it at Greenhill Road and started bashing out the car’s windows while it was still moving. “I’d have done the same thing,” Turner said. Police arrested motorcyclists Kenneth Cornell, 54, of Roseburg, Phillip Davis, 35, of Portland, and Amber Johnson, 36, of Myrtle Creek, in relation to damage done to Jenson’s car. Jenson has been charged with reckless driving and reckless endangerment.

We hope Valentin Camarillo is able to recover from this accident, and that the negligent driver is held accountable. Hit and run drivers are cowards and criminals, and as Portland attorneys for hit and run injury victims we are glad Jenson has been held responsible for his actions. Remember, hit and run drivers can be punished in both criminal and civil cases.

According to Oregon law (ORS 811.705), drivers are required to remain at the scene if anyone is injured. If a driver does not do this, they can have criminal charges brought against them once they are found.

We encourage anyone else who witnessed this hit and run to come forward with information! You can call our office, and we will ensure that your identity is protected, and the information is sent to the right person. If you feel more comfortable calling a hotline, Shulman DuBois LLC sponsors the Hit and Run Reward program that gives financial incentives for reluctant witnesses to come forward after hit and run incidents. Remember, you are helping the person who was hit and you helping protect our streets from drivers who do not obey the laws.

In cases like this, the hit and run driver can also have a civil lawsuit brought against them for all damages to the injury victim. Anyone injured by a hit and run driver has the right to seek legal recourse for injuries and damages to property. This compensation can come from the at-fault driver’s insurance or any personal assets they have.

In many cases, the hit and run driver left the scene because:

1)   They did not have insurance.
2)   They were driving intoxicated.

If the driver was driving intoxicated, you may still be able to file a claim with their insurance company, if you can identify the driver.

If you cannot find the driver, however, OR they do not have insurance, you can still file a claim through your own uninsured motorist (UIM) coverage on your own auto policy.

We understand that this is a complicated process, and we recommend discussing your case with a Portland hit and run accident attorney who offers free consultations if you have any questions.