People in the San Diego area have become accustomed to the hordes of costumed fanatics that descend upon the city every year for the annual Comic-Con, a convention dedicated to all things sci-fi, horror, comic book and otherwise. The festivities are usually well-organized and well-received, but an unfortunate car accident at this year’s convention has organizers rethinking some of their planned activities in the future.
Last month, a 48-year-old deaf man was driving his children, also deaf, across town when they came across what appeared to be a horde of zombies blocking the road. The zombies, all enthusiasts in costume, were taking part in an organized Zombie Walk, which is probably exactly what it sounds like. As the man approached the car, he reported that his children became frightened as participants in ghoulish attire crowded around the car, even banging on the car. He rolled his car forward slowly, trying to get out of the crowd and protect his scared children. While reports are unclear, he apparently accelerated and hit a pedestrian with his vehicle, causing her relatively serious injuries. The zombie crowd then descended upon the man’s vehicle, with some people banging on it and sitting on the hood so that he could not drive away.
Finally, the man was able to get through the crowd and locate a police officer, with frightened children and a shattered windshield in tow. No charges have yet been filed, but investigators may be interested in the ample video footage of the incident, much of which has already made its way around the internet.
If the man was deemed to be a negligent driver, the pedestrian could be entitled to damages, including medical expenses and pain and suffering. Likewise, the driver could be entitled to compensation if the people who vandalized his car can be identified. It was an unfortunate incident, but hopefully organizers will learn from it and ensure that proper law enforcement is on hand to prevent injuries and accidents at future events.
Source: Times of San Diego, “After Comic-Con Accident, Organizers Cancel October Zombie Walk,” Alexander Nguyen, July 28, 2014
