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The wife of a Flagler County School Board member has been arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol and was later officially charged with failing to remain at the scene of a crash involving a death — which is a first-degree felony in Florida.
The woman is accused of hitting a 76-year-old pedestrian who was walking her dog along Columbia Lane in Palm Coast on November 10, 2011. It is alleged that she stopped and got out of her PT Cruiser, but refused to call 911 for the victim. According to the charging document, she then attempted to mislead medical personnel and bystanders by telling them that the woman had not been struck, but had fallen.
The pedestrian died two days later.
The State Attorney’s charging document stated that the accused willfully failed to remain at the scene of the accident; failed to give her name and vehicle registration to any person injured in the accident or to police officers at the scene; and failed to “forthwith” report the crash to the nearest authorized police authority.
It is unclear whom the accused could have given her information to since the pedestrian was in no shape to receive it and police never showed up at the scene. However, the woman did wait until 5:30 a.m. the next day to report the Florida fatal car accident.
The attorney for the woman claims that emergency services were contacted and that his client stayed at the scene until rescue personnel left.
It remains to be seen how this case plays out, but one thing is known for certain: an innocent pedestrian died. Complex cases like this are precisely the reason you should call the experienced Florida pedestrian injury attorneys at Farah & Farah. We will sort out the facts and determine who is liable for an injury or death on Florida’s roads. Call us at (800) 533-3555 for a free and confidential consultation.
Source: http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2012/02/28/charges-official-against-flagler-school-board-members-wife-in-traffic-fatality.html
Jacksonville police have cited a school bus driver for causing an accident that sent eight students to the hospital with minor injuries. A check of the driver’s Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) records by station WJXT in Jacksonville revealed that the bus driver has had seven traffic infractions in the past ten years.
According to police, the bus driver turned left into an oncoming pickup truck on Roosevelt Boulevard at about 7:30 a.m. The Durham Bus Services employee has only been driving for the company for a year. According to the Duval County School district, the driver’s previous infractions, which included careless driving, running a stop sign, and driving on the wrong side of the road, were not enough to keep her from being hired to drive a school bus.
This school bus crash in Florida was followed by a second school bus accident the next day in which six students and one adult were treated for minor injuries after a pick up truck struck the bus. Charges are pending against the truck driver.
There have been 48 reported school bus accidents so far this year according to the Duval County School District. Last year there were a total of 152 accidents.
School Bus Safety
The good news, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is that school buses are the safest vehicles on our nation’s roads. However, shouldn’t we be ensuring that the drivers hired to transport our children also have an impeccable history of safe driving? The Jacksonville bus accident lawyers at Farah and Farah will be keeping tabs on future developments in school bus safety to ensure that our children are kept as safe as possible from injury on Florida’s roads and highways.
A 22-year-old woman, who had 11 previous speeding violations, was arrested in connection with an accident that killed a youth pastor on September of 2011. She has been charged with reckless driving and driving on a suspended or revoked license.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the woman caused the crash when she sideswiped the car driven by a youth pastor on I-10 near the Chaffee Road interchange. The man’s car spun out of control and overturned, partially ejecting him and pinning him under the car. His wife, who was also in the car, survived the crash.
The woman who caused the accident was not hurt.
FHP said that the arrest was delayed for so long because investigators were waiting for toxicology test results and the woman was not considered a flight risk. The results of the test were negative for drugs or alcohol. The suspect, who voluntarily turned herself in, posted $25,000 bail and was released.
According to DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) records, the woman was once clocked going 93 mph in a 60 mph zone and had already been cited once for careless driving and driving with a suspended license before the accident.
The wife of the victim stated that the accident should serve as a reminder that the decision to drive when you aren’t supposed to can affect many lives. “She made the choice to drive and drive recklessly. And in result, my husband lost his life,” she stated.
Unfortunately, some careless and reckless drivers still get behind the wheel even after their licenses have been suspended or revoked. If you have been injured on Florida’s roads because of somebody’s recklessness or disregard for the law, please contact the Jacksonville automobile accident attorneys at Farah & Farah today by calling (800) 533-3555.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46467777/ns/local_news-jacksonville_fl/
Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers are still trying to piece together why a woman collided with a front-end loader that was parked on the shoulder of U.S. 1. An FHP spokesman said the Palm Bay resident was attempting to exit U.S. 1 on to the Pineda Causeway or was already in the exit lane when she attempted to swerve back onto U.S. 1 and struck the front-end loader.
The impact of the collision knocked the heavy construction vehicle into three workers who were standing in front of it. None of them were seriously injured in this Florida freeway auto accident, but two were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center and treated for non-life threatening injuries. The woman who struck the front-end loader was pronounced dead at the same medical facility.
The front-end loader was on U.S. 1 as part of an ongoing 4.6-mile road-paving project.
Driving Near Roadway Construction Zones
Roadway work zones can be dangerous for workers and motorists. In 2009, the Federal Highway Administration reported that Florida ranked in the top three states for construction zone fatalities. According to Florida Department of Transportation statistics, drivers and their passengers accounted for most of the deaths in Florida construction zone crashes.
Take it slow to avoid injuries on Florida’s roads
When driving through a roadway construction zone, the smart thing to do is slow down — especially given the possible presence of construction-related road debris and the unpredictable nature of worker and construction vehicle movement. The Florida fatal car accident lawyers at Farah & Farah urge that everybody, motorists and construction zone workers alike, look out for each other to avoid injuries and death on Florida’s highways and roads.
Sources: http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120216/NEWS01/120216021/Woman-killed-U-S-1-Pineda-after-colliding-front-end-loader?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome; http://www.chipleypaper.com/articles/work-5901-everyone-zone.html
One woman was seriously injured when she was thrown on the highway and another man was thrown into the St. Johns River and rescued after a three-vehicle crash on the Buckman Bridge in Jacksonville. The two had been passengers traveling in the same SUV, along with the driver and a two-year-old child. The toddler, who remained strapped in a car seat, was also seriously injured. The woman driving the SUV also sustained injuries. None of the adults were wearing a seat belt, according to the Florida Times-Union.
A plumber, who arrived at the scene just after the accident, pulled a ladder from his truck and lowered it to the river with the help of another motorist. The male victim, who had been clinging to a bridge piling, was then helped out of the water.
The SUV had been struck by another car that had swerved to avoid a pickup truck coming into its lane. The SUV overturned several times.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, some 125,000 vehicles cross the Buckman Bridge on any given day. The bridge’s barrier railings are built to federal standards and are designed to keep vehicles from plunging into the river. Only two cars have gone in since the mid-1990’s.
Due to the constrained nature of traffic on a bridge, it is vitally important that all motorists watch where they are going and execute lane changes safely. If you have been the victim of a car crash where you have been injured, the experienced Jacksonville car accident attorneys at Farah & Farah can determine the at-fault party and work to get you compensation to help get you back on your feet. Call us at (800) 533-3555.
Sources:http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-02-13/story/plumber-rescues-man-st-johns-river-after-buckman-crash
A teenager in Brooksville, Florida was killed after losing control of his car during a street race with another teen and hitting a tree.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the racers were heading down a two-lane road when they approached oncoming traffic. The fatality victim was attempting to change lanes to avoid a collision with an oncoming car when he clipped the front end of the car he was racing and they both lost control. The surviving teen fled the scene of the accident, but was later identified by troopers and was returned to the scene of the accident.
Street Racing in Florida
For the most part, illegal street racing is a young (mainly) man’s game. According to one study, which covered the ten year period between 1999 and early 2009, the highest percentage of those killed while racing were 16 to 24-years-old. In 2001, Florida issued 7,216 citations for racing on the highway.
Statistics on illegal street racing remain vague, because most injuries or deaths attributable to the activity are instead listed on citations as “speeding, reckless endangerment, contest of speed,” etc. What we do know, as we have reported in other incidents in our blogs, is that all too often innocent bystanders and drivers in other vehicles are injured and even killed when a high-speed street race goes bad.
In Florida, a person cited for street racing is subject to fines, vehicle impoundment, and if caught multiple times, loss of driver’s license for up to four years.
The Brooksville car accident attorneys at Farah & Farah believe you should exercise your right to be compensated if you have been injured in a crash due to another driver’s recklessness. Call us at (800) 533-3555 for a confidential consultation.
Sources: http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/article/240914/4/Fla-Teen-Dies-in-Crash-While-Racing; http://evostreetracers.org/Evo_Press_Release128.html; http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-03-16/news/os-box-car-racing-fatality-orange-20110316_1_fines-race-cars-drivers-license
TBO.com reports that three people lost their lives in Zephyrhills, Sunday, February 5, in a three-car crash.
A woman was stopped in traffic on westbound State Road 54 in her 2008 Volkswagen Passat. A 2000 Toyota Solara then approached from behind in traffic just east of Ernest Drive. He then swerved to avoid a traffic collision. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), he hit the rear of the Volkswagen, pushing that vehicle into the shoulder of the road. The Toyota continued on hitting an Avalon head-on, killing the three passengers inside.
The driver of the Avalon, a 75-year-old man, and his 70-year-old wife were in critical condition upon arriving at Tampa General Hospital. Three inside the Avalon were killed, including a 90-year-old man from Zephyrhills and an elderly couple from Holland Patent, New York.
The Toyota driver, a 22-year-old from Wesley Chapel, was in critical condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Fortunately, at least the Passat driver and her passenger were not injured. Our prayers go out to everyone who was injured and killed in this pile-up which was not their fault.
Frequently, the person killed or injured in a traffic accident had no involvement in causing it at all; they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In Florida in 2010, there were 2,372 fatal crashes and 235,778 collisions involving motor vehicles. Among those incidents, 2,563 people lost their lives according to state statistics. Since we opened our doors in downtown Jacksonville in 1979, we’ve been helping people injured in traffic accidents that were not their fault. Our Pasco County auto accident lawyers can help determine the at-fault party who will be responsible for your medical bills and lost wages. Call us at 1(800) 533-3555.
Source: http://www2.tbo.com/news/pasco-news/2012/feb/05/1/zephyrhills-wreck-kills-three-injures-others-ar-355483/
A head-on car collision, Tuesday morning, February 7, in Putnam County has left one man dead and two others seriously hurt. Around 9:30 a.m. an eastbound driver on State Road 20 tried to drive around someone going too slow. The 22-year-old, behind the wheel of a Ford Ranger, moved into the westbound lane to pass the motorist and hit a Nissan Altima head-on.
The collision happened just west of State Road 21.
The driver of the Altima, a 50-year-old man, died at the scene. The 22-year-old driver and her passenger were seriously injured and transported to Shands Hospital in Gainesville. There is no late word on their conditions. The Florida Highway Patrol says charges are pending. The young woman tried to pass in a no-passing zone.
Our condolences go out to the friends and family of everyone involved in this tragic head-on accident. Let’s pray that the two survivors pull through their injuries.
A head-on collision is usually exceptionally deadly. According to federal statistics, head-on collisions are responsible for up to 10.1 percent of U.S. fatal crashes even though they made up only 2% of collisions. There may be very little time to react to a head-on driver, especially at night.
A head-on collision can result in serious head injuries, neck injuries, cuts, and broken bones.
The Putnam County head-on collision attorneys of Farah & Farah recommend that if there is any time, try to graze the side of the vehicle to avoid full frontal impact. Farah & Farah will be there to help you or your family following a tragic head-on collision.
Source:http://www.news4jax.com/news/1-dead-in-head-on-collision/-/475880/8609062/-/ad4vxqz/-/index.html
Rather than being handed a long stint behind bars, a young man charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving in a car-surfing accident was given five years probation by a circuit judge in Florida. The man, now 19-years-old, plead no-contest to the charges and was sentenced as a youthful offender by the court. The accident occurred in February of 2011.
The accused was driving a Nissan Pathfinder at a high rate of speed on a Florida dirt road as two of his friends were hanging from the roof rack of the SUV. He lost control of the vehicle, which spun out and flipped over. One of the friends on the roof was thrown into a ditch and died. Another was killed when he was trapped in the back seat as the car burst into flames. The driver and two other passengers suffered injuries.
The driver must serve one year of house arrest and complete 120 hours of community service — including giving talks about the dangers of car surfing.
A Bizarre Craze
According to research done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car surfing — where a person rides on the exterior of a vehicle while another drives — killed at least 99 people between 1999 and 2008. Injuries from the activity have been reported in 31 states.
Preventing Injuries and Accidents
It is obvious from this terrible accident that not only those participating in the actual dangerous act of car surfing can be hurt, but innocent passengers as well. If you have suffered the loss of a loved one due to another driver’s recklessness, the Florida fatal car accident attorneys at Farah & Farah would like to hear from you. Call us at (800) 533-3555 for more information.
Sources: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-car-surfing-deaths-joshua-ritter-20120203,0,1812959.story; http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/west-volusia/2012/02/04/driver-in-debary-car-surfing-deaths-gets-probation.html
Details on this tragic accident are few, but the Florida Times-Union reports that a 46-year-old man was walking on Avenue B in Jacksonville Friday night, February 3, when he was struck by a vehicle. The man died at the scene. The newspaper reports another person was walking with the accident victim around 11:30 p.m. when a black Chevrolet hit the victim while he crossed the street near Brooklyn Road. When first responders arrived on the scene, the pedestrian had died. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reported it had issued no citations at the time this story was published.
Our condolences go out to the friends and family members of this man for his tragic passing.
Pedestrian Death Statistics
According to the nonprofit group Transportation for America, Florida has some of the most dangerous metropolitan areas for pedestrians. In fact, four Florida cities made the Top Ten in its survey – Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Miami. Nationwide, about a dozen pedestrians die in collisions with cars every day. Men in the 45 to 54-year-old age range had the most pedestrian fatalities.
Following a pedestrian crash, an investigation must be conducted to determine the negligent party. There may be a number of parties who share the blame, but an experienced Jacksonville pedestrian accident attorney can reconstruct the circumstances that led to the injury in order to establish the plaintiff’s personal injury case in court.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident in Florida, consider a complimentary consultation with one of our experienced accident attorneys and our network of experts and support staff who can seek a verdict and settlement in your favor. Call us at 1(800) 533-3555.
Source: http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-02-04/story/pedestrian-killed-vehicle-friday-night-avenue-b-jacksonville
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