Bernard Vinther, 65, and his 10 ½ year old guide dog Kaber were returning from the Kennewick police station on Sixth Avenue after attending a meeting for police volunteers. Vinther was wearing his light blue Citizens Helping-In Police Service shirt.
They came to the corner of Sixth Avenue and Washington Street, a main street in Kennewick where there’s a light, but no cross walk. Vicroina Mendoza, 46, of Pasco was was driving north on Washington Street in Kennewick. He looked over his shoulder to change lanes and that’s when it happened.
Mendoza, who works at a Kennewick restaurant, told police he steered his vehicle far enough to the right to almost miss Vinther, who was just entering the far lane. But the car struck Kaber head-on.
Vinther remembers being spun around and falling onto the pavement. He got up and called for his dog and searched for the harness, but Kaber, a 10 1/2-year-old black Labrador and golden retriever mix, lay dead.
“He never made a sound. When I was told what happened, I cried like a baby,” Vinther said Thursday morning from his home on East Third Avenue. “This is like losing a child. Maybe worse, Kaber was obedient, I still tear up.”
The blind victim’s legs were injured but had no broken bones. His worst injuries were a head injury above his right eyebrow from where his head hit the windshield, a couple of cracked front teeth and a sore chest where the driver’s outside mirror hit his body before it was torn off.
Vinther was examined at the emergency room at Kennewick General Hospital, where he had X-rays and a CAT scan to check for internal injuries. He planned to see a dentist Thursday afternoon for a report on the damage to his teeth.
Kaber came from Guide Dogs for the Blind, which has training facilities in San Rafael, Calif., and Boring, Ore.
Vinther hopes to get another dog, but expects up to a year wait. The training time, the strict criteria, and the demand makes the waiting list long.
A representative of Guide Dog for the Blind is expected to visit Vinther next week to get a report and offer help through grief counseling.
“This dog has helped keep me safe, until now,” Vinther said. “He’d bark if someone was at the door, but his tail was always wagging. I don’t think he was ready for retirement.”
The police department’s traffic patrol unit is investigating the accident. The case is being forwarded to the city attorney for review as a matter of procedure, said Sgt. Randy Maynard. “At this point in the investigation, it doesn’t appear speed was a factor.”
“We want all drivers to be concerned and cautious about any pedestrian, whether they’re kids, adults, disabled or not,” Maynard said. “Although it’s traumatic, physically, for someone to be struck by a vehicle, it’s also psychologically traumatic for the driver of the vehicle involved — even if they are abiding all the laws.”
Our condolences go out to Mr. Vinther for the loss of Kaber, an integral member of the family and definitely a source of freedom for him. This was an unfortunate accident and we hope for a quick recovery.
If you or a loved one are involved in a pedestrian accident that results in serious personal injury or wrongful death it is important that you find experienced legal council that can give you strong legal advice. Call Phillips Webster for a consultation regarding your legal options.
Learn More About:
- Medical Recuperation after a Serious Personal Injury
- Potential Compensation for Your Personal Injury
- Your Role in Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
