Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed By O’Reilly & Danko on Behalf of Family of Rodney Smith of Portola Valley

SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ — A law suit has been filed in Superior Court of San Mateo County by the family of Rodney Smith, 67, who was run down in the bicycle lane on Sand Hill Road, near Whiskey Hill Road, on May 25, 2007. The suit was filed by the law firm of O’Reilly & Danko.

Mr. Smith, a noted vintage racing driver, was traveling eastbound on Sand Hill Road when a Volvo, driven by Anthony Lucien Rose, 87, drifted into the bike lane and struck Mr. Smith, instantly killing him.

Terry O’Reilly, attorney for Smith family, advises that an expert review of the physical evidence confirmed that Mr. Rose had crossed into the bike lane well before the impact. Average speeds on Sand Hill Road are well into the 60s at this point and mixing bikes and fast moving cars creates a serious risk of collisions. Later, Mr. Rose claimed to have been driving at 35 miles per hour, but O’Reilly dismisses this claim. He said, “On Sand Hill road, a car moving at 35 miles per hour is most likely to be rear-ended.”

Mr. Smith was the retired CEO of Altera, a San Jose high tech company that he built into an industry powerhouse. He was an internationally known and respected vintage racecar driver and his rare 1934 ERA car was a popular sight around the world. Mr. Smith retired in 2003 to his collection of race cars, and with his wife, Mary, undertook various philanthropic causes, including a movement to clean up trash around Sand Hill Road where he was killed.

O’Reilly also said, “Mr. Smith also was an expert cyclist and in superb physical shape.” After Mr. Smith’s death, he was honored by obituaries in the international motoring and high tech press.

O’Reilly said that he had tried to discuss this case with Mr. Rose’s insurance company, State Farm, but the insurer had refused to disclose the insurance coverage.

Plaintiff’s attorneys are O’Reilly & Danko, the noted trial law firm with headquarters in San Mateo.

O’Reilly & Danko

CONTACT: Terry O’Reilly of O’Reilly & Danko, +1-650-358-5901,toreilly@oreillylaw.com; or Ed Schwartz, ejsprwine@aol.com, for O’Reilly &Danko