SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- A man is suing the City of San Jose and Caltrans after he suffered a spinal cord injury from a crash caused by an allegedly dangerous intersection. Jeffrey Garmany, 35, is a former surfer, snowboarder, and trail runner. His active outdoor lifestyle ended with a devastati ng crash on June 9, 2025, and his life changed forever. Garmany was riding a Triumph motorcycle along Fruitvale Avenue, near Corlista Drive, when a Honda Accord made an illegal U-turn directly into the motorcycle's path, attorneys said. "(Garmany) was ejected from his motorcycle and violently thrown down on the road," the lawsuit states. "As a result of the crash, Mr. Garmany was paralyzed from the neck down and quadriplegic. He suffered a fractured spine, fractured neck, punctured lung, and broken ribs." Jeffrey Garmany (KRON4 Photo) According to attorneys, the Honda driver fled the scene without providing aid. He later contacted police to falsely report his vehicle as stolen, attorneys claim. San Jose Police Department officers arrested the suspected hit-and-run driver. The Honda driver was identified in the lawsuit, and by police, as Misael Lara Moya of San Jose. Garmany spent 19 weeks in a hospital with a spinal cord injury. He is learning to live as a quadriplegic, and he's advocating for making the intersection safer. The civil lawsuit was filed on April 27 in Santa Clara County Superior Court by attorneys with the law firm Mary Alexander Associates. Attorneys allege that the intersection of Corlista Drive and Fruitvale Avenue constituted a "dangerous condition of public property. The City of San Jose and other public entities failed to properly design, maintain, and control the intersection, including failing to install adequate signage, lighting, and traffic control devices." Jeffrey Garmany is seen in a hospital after the crash. Attorney Mary Alexander said, "Public entities have a duty to ensure that roadways are safe for the people who use them. Here, the City knew, or should have known, that this intersection posed a serious risk, yet failed to take corrective action." Eighteen people have died from traffic collisions in San Jose in 2026. In 2025, 41 people were killed in crashes. The lawsuit names the City of San Jose, Caltrans, and Santa Clara County as defendants. A spokesperson for the City Manager's Office told KRON4, "This was an unfortunate incident. The City will defend its position that the fault does not lay with the City’s roadway design." "Caltrans is unable to comment on matters involving ongoing litigation," a Caltrans spokesperson said. Alexander described the crash as "completely preventable." The attorney continued, "Our client did everything right. He was riding safely and lawfully, and his life was permanently altered because the city created a disaster waiting to happen, and because of a dangerous roadway." Garmany said he is seeking change and accountability. "There’s a lot of ways to make these roads safer and these accidents can be preventable," he told KRON4. The lawsuit demands a jury trial. ...read more read less