$6.2 Million Awarded in Woman’s Traffic Death

FILLMORE —  A jury has awarded $6.2 million to the family of a 29-year-old Fillmore woman who was killed in a car accident last year.

Petra Hernandez, described by friends and family members as a model mother, died July 10, 1989, when a pickup truck crossed the double-yellow line on a portion of California 126 in Ventura County known as “Blood Alley” and smashed into her car.

The woman’s four children and husband, Guadalupe Hernandez, filed suits against two companies, Clarke Contracting Corp. in Compton and Lew Construction and Clarke in Los Angeles. They owned the pickup truck driven by Hector Diaz, who survived the crash. He was not charged in the accident.

Neither officials for the corporation nor the attorney representing their insurance company, CNA, could be reached for comment Thursday. The family’s attorney said, however, he expects the companies to appeal.

The jury award was announced Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles Superior Court, but the Hernandez family did not learn of it until Thursday.

The four children, ages 3 to 14, will split about $5.4 million, plus interest, if the jury award is sustained on appeal. After attorney fees, the remainder will go to the father, an unemployed mechanic.

But the family took little comfort in the award.

“Nothing will replace my wife’s love,” Guadalupe Hernandez said in Spanish. “She was a good mother, a good spouse. She was everything to us. Things will never be the same.”

“She was a special mom,” said 14-year-old Salvador Hernandez. “Now it’s like a piece of the puzzle is missing in our lives.”

The family’s attorney, David A. Pash, said most of the money will be placed in special trust funds for the children, and some will be used for their college educations. He said the size of the award was not unusual in comparison with others compensating family members for the loss of a parent. He originally had sought $11.5 million.

Salvador, a student at Fillmore High School, said his mother always encouraged him to excel in school.

“She said if we didn’t go to school, we would never end up having a good life. She wanted me to be a good person who works hard.”

Petra Hernandez, who worked part time serving food at Magic Mountain, was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fillmore and had received special praise from church officials for her parenting skills. Once a week she taught parenting classes at the Fillmore church.

“She was very loving and willing to go the extra mile, not only for her kids but for anybody,” said Debbie Burnett, a church member. “It’s a great loss, something that can’t be replaced.”