The Florida Times Union reports a 55-year-old man from Jacksonville Beach died at a Southside intersection recently when a Toyota pickup driver plowed into a group of cars stopped at a red light. The eight-car collision happened around 11:30 a.m. at Philips Highway near Baymeadows Road. According to the article, a 71-year-old from Fleming Island was driving the Toyota and approached a group of vehicles at a red light on Philips but failed to stop, hitting the rear of a Honda CR-V which created a chain reaction with the other stopped cars. The elderly driver was not wearing a seat belt and suffered only minor injuries, but the man in the Honda, who died after being taken to Shands Jacksonville, was wearing a seat belt as was the female driver of the Honda CRV. She was also taken to Shands with serious injuries.
Witnesses say the elderly man approached police and seemed to collapse. Witnesses report they saw a Toyota driving erratically and speeding before the crash. So far no charges have been filed as a result of this deadly accident.
Our condolences go out to the man who was killed the others injured.
We have no idea from this newspaper story why the Toyota driver didn’t brake with traffic. A skilled Jacksonville car accident attorney would want some questions answered in the search to determine the responsible party and the amount of fault they shared in the collision. Did the elderly driver experience some sort of medical emergency that disabled him behind the wheel? Was he intoxicated or taking medications that have side effects? Did the airbag in the Honda deploy and were the seat belts working? What speed was the Toyota traveling and were there some other factors that may have distracted the driver, such as texting or another vehicle?
Only through an investigation immediately following an accident can determine the at-fault party who would be financially responsible for the costs associated with this Florida car crash, including’ but not be limited to, property damage, medical bills, and lost wages.
