The 30-year-old father and 26-year-old mother were pronounced dead after transportation to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The daughter was reportedly riding in the back seat of the car when struck by the drunk driver and was unhurt in the accident. A sergeant on the Florida Highway Patrol said the 62-year-old driver of the truck was clearly intoxicated at the accident scene and was arrested on two counts of DUI manslaughter. The drunk driver reportedly bonded out of the Gadsden County Jail the day after the accident.

“Because someone made a bad choice that child is now without her parents,” he said. “Who knows, that man might be a good person, but he made a bad choice.”

It’s clear that many Florida drivers make bad choices. Florida is third in the nation every year for people injured and killed in drunk driving accidents. Despite tougher laws and criminal penalties, publicity campaigns, and increased public awareness, people still get behind the wheel after drinking. This negligent behavior puts other drivers and passengers at risk and can lead to tragedies like this DUI manslaughter case.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed by a drunk driver, call Orlando drunk driving accident attorney James O. Cunningham today to schedule a free consultation about your case. He serves clients from his law offices throughout Central Florida.

FHP officers investigating the pedestrian accident scene said that one victim was a 23-year-old Sarasota man and the other victim was believed to be around 19-years-old. His name and address had not been released when the article was published. Troopers said that a witness to the accident called 911, and emergency response personnel called the FHP. A FHP spokesperson said that the 18-year-old driver of the truck remained at the accident scene.

A FHP spokesperson said, “The law says when you’re walking along the roadway, you have to walk off the roadway. You can’t walk in the street. Number two, you’re supposed to walk against the flow of traffic. These individuals were walking in the roadway, with no street lighting. It’s a very dangerous situation to be in.”

The stretch of road where the victims were hit has a posted 60 mph speed limit. If the truck driver was going the speed limit, he would have been traveling at 87 feet per second.

Although the article suggests that the two victims were responsible for the dangerous position, hundreds more Floridians are injured and killed each year. Many are struck by motorists who are distracted by cell phones, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs or disobeying a traffic signal. No matter what negligent behavior distracts or impairs a driver’s ability to react and avoid striking a pedestrian, they can still be held responsible for their actions.

Orlando pedestrian accident attorney James Cunningham has helped the victims of pedestrian accidents and their families since 1977. In well over three decades of practicing personal injury law, Mr. Cunningham has helped countless pedestrian accident victims receive the financial compensation they deserve to help offset the steep costs of hospital care and rehabilitation. If you or a member of your family has been hurt in a pedestrian accident, call Florida pedestrian accident lawyer James Cunningham today to schedule a free consultation.