Florida Highway Patrol

Accident investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol suspect that alcohol was a contributing factor in a recent early morning Orlando auto accident that claimed the life of a local man. Investigators say that the victim was a 27-year-old Orlando man who crashed and overturned his vehicle on North Powers Drive near Balboa Drive. Accident reconstruction specialists say the man was driving on the wrong side of the road and nearly hit a church van when his car jumped the curb and struck a telephone pole, which fell on top of the car. The victim’s car came to rest on its top in the middle of North Powers Drive, and the victim was pronounced dead from his injuries at the scene. The driver of the church van had to veer sharply to avoid being struck head-on by the oncoming car.

FHP Trooper Montague Haight said that the accident investigation would determine whether or not the victim had been drinking before the crash but admitted that preliminary signs indicated that drunk driving was a strong possibility.

“If you’re going to come out and drive your vehicle and you’re going to be out drinking make sure you have a designated driver. There’s no reason to get behind the wheel after you have had anything to drink. But if this accident was alcohol related again that’s going to be pending the investigation,” he said.

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham and other Central Florida auto accident attorneys take a very dim view of drunk drivers and for very good reasons. Drunk drivers caused auto accidents that killed 66 people in 2009 and injured dozens more, and driving while under the influence of alcohol is the very definition of negligence.

If you were injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver, you have a right to seek damages against the driver and his or her insurance company. In many cases, injured people will be contacted by the at-fault driver’s insurance company and offered a modest sum in exchange for a signature on some documents. What these unfortunate folks don’t realize until it is too late that they are signing away their rights to seek damages. Before you sign anything, have it reviewed by an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney such as Mr. Cunningham. To schedule a free consultation, call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today.

Florida Highway Patrol officers are requesting that those who may have seen a recent fatal hit-and-run pedestrian accident come forward with any information they may have. Accident investigators say that the accident occurred near the intersection of Semoran and Old Cheney Highway in east Orange County. They say an adult male pedestrian was crossing Semoran east-to-west when he was struck and killed by a black Jeep Wrangler. They say that after the jeep struck the man, the driver immediately fled the scene to avoid taking responsibility.

The pedestrian was taken to Florida Hospital for treatment but died of his injuries shortly after arrival. FHP troopers say that charges are pending in the accident, which remains under investigation. They are asking anyone who may have witnessed the accident or knows anything about it to call the Florida Highway Patrol at 407-737-2213 or Crimeline at 407-423-8477.

Since he began practicing law in 1977, Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham has seen the Orlando metropolitan area grow significantly in size and population. He has also seen the number of pedestrians injured and killed in pedestrian accidents climb steadily over the years and the metro area become the nation’s most dangerous for anyone walking or biking along roadways. Regular readers of this blog will know that a report issued last year named our area the worst in the country for pedestrian accidents after years of steadily increasing and tragic accident statistics. There are many reasons for this ignominious distinction, including the following:

• Infrastructure designed for automobiles
• Very large intersections
• Lack of sidewalks
• Large number of drivers who run red lights
• Talking and texting on cell phones while driving
• Intoxicated drivers
• Drivers who deliberately try to intimidate pedestrians and bicyclists

Pedestrians who survive being struck by an automobile often face a very long and expensive road to recovery. That is one of the many reasons why so many injured people choose Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham to help them seek damages against the negligent driver who injured them. Mr. Cunningham has a proven record of success, gives each client and case the individual attention they deserve and works hard to help clients receive the fair and just compensation they need to pay medical bills and recover from their injuries. If you would like to speak with Mr. Cunningham in a free consultation, call him today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000.

A trucking accident involving two tractor-trailers on Interstate 95 recently closed two lanes of the busy highway and claimed the life of one of the truck drivers. Florida Highway Patrol officers say the accident occurred around 5 a.m. at mile marker 189 south of the I-95 exchange with Wickham Road. Emergency responders from Brevard County Fire Rescue said one truck was hauling PVC piping and the other was carrying general merchandise when the driver of the truck carrying the PVC rear-ended the other truck, causing more than 70 gallons of diesel fuel to spill onto the road.

FHP spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said that the diesel spill made the clean-up especially dangerous and problematic.

“That diesel eats the roadway up,” she said. “We can’t let people drive on that. They had to fix the road before they could.”

Road workers had to mill the road where the fuel spilled and then repave it before traffic could be restored on two of three lanes of I-95.

Montes said that the 57-year-old driver of the truck carrying general merchandise was following traffic too closely at the time of the accident. When his truck rear-ended the truck hauling PVC in front of him, the PVC piping was driven through the driver’s cab, killing him instantly.

“They were just traveling along,” Montes said. “(Daniels) was simply going faster than the other truck and ran right into the back of it.”

The 48-year-old driver of the other truck suffered minor injuries in the crash and was not hospitalized. FHP troopers said that they did not believe alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in the accident.

This trucking accident is very unusual in that two trucks were involved and that one of the drivers was killed. The overwhelming majority of trucking accidents involve tractor-trailers and much smaller passenger vehicles, and, in most cases, it is the occupants of the smaller vehicles who suffer catastrophic, even fatal, injuries. If you or a member of your immediate family has been injured in a Florida trucking accident and you have questions about your rights and legal options, call Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000. Mr. Cunningham is an Orlando personal injury attorney with a reputation for working hard and helping clients receive the maximum allowable compensation.

A September 8 accident involving a school bus and a passenger car has sent two people to area hospitals with serious injuries. Accident investigators say the accident occurred around 6:05 a.m. at the intersection of Good Homes Road and Old Winter Garden Road in Orlando. There were no students on the bus at the time of the accident. While the investigation is still ongoing, it appears that the 32-year-old driver of the bus disobeyed a traffic signal and entered the intersection while he had a red light.

Investigators say the school bus driver was traveling westbound in the left lane of Old Winter Garden Road at the intersection with Good Homes Road when he pulled into the intersection while the traffic signal was red. At that moment, the 52-year-old driver of a Kia passenger car was headed southbound in the left turn lane of Good Homes Road and entered the intersection on a green light. As he entered the intersection, his car was struck on the driver’s side by the school bus. The accident sent both drivers to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment. The driver of the bus is listed in serious condition, and the driver of the Kia is listed in critical condition after emergency responders had to use hydraulic equipment to extricate him from the wreckage of his car. The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation is ongoing, but a spokesperson said they expect to file charges against the school bus driver.

Fortunately, there were no schoolchildren aboard the bus when the accident occurred. However, Orlando auto accident attorney James O. Cunningham remains very concerned about the critically injured driver of the Kia. A small car weighing less than three thousand pounds is no match for a school bus weighing tens of thousands, and if FHP troopers determine that the school bus driver was negligent, he can be liable for damages.

It’s no secret that the Orlando metropolitan area is one of the most dangerous in the state for auto accidents, but people injured by negligent drivers do have a strong advocate in their corner. Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham has been helping injured people since 1977 and has a proven record of success helping them receive the compensation they deserve. If you or someone in your family has been injured in an accident and you want to speak with an attorney, call Mr. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation.

Florida Highway Patrol accident investigators believe that alcohol was a contributing factor in a fatal motorcycle accident that claimed the life of an Apopka man on June 5. Police say the 37-year-old suspect was driving his van out of the Loyal Order of Moose lodge parking lot near Orange Blossom Trail and Rosamond Drive around 9:00 that evening when the accident occurred.
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Accident investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol are asking for anyone who may be a witness of a fatal Central Florida hit-and-run accident to contact them as soon as possible. According to police, an Astatula man was walking along Duda Road near County Road 448A early on the morning of June 21, 2010 when a large truck struck and killed him. The truck then fled the scene.

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A car heading eastbound in the westbound lanes of State Road 408 in west Orange County caused a recent auto accident that sent three people to local hospitals for treatment. Florida Highway Patrol troopers investigating the accident say the accident occurred around 3:26 a.m. near Pine Hills Road when a 2002 Mazda driven by a 25-year-old Orlando woman collided with a 2001 Saturn. Police say the driver of the Saturn swerved to avoid the collision, but both vehicles hit nearly head-on.

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The jcfloridan.com reports that a Calhoun County auto accident claimed the life of an elderly Marianna woman and sent two men to a local hospital with serious injuries. Florida Highway Patrol accident investigators say that the 81-year-old woman was taken to Calhoun-Liberty Hospital after the accident where she was pronounced dead from her injuries. They say she was driving a 1999 Dodge car northbound on County Road 275 when she failed to observe a stop sign, and violated the right of way of a southbound 1995 Toyota pickup truck on State Road 71.
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The Gainesville Sun reports that two Florida agencies have joined together to promote driving safety through a statewide traffic education and enforcement campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of large commercial trucks and school buses. Col. John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol, and Col. David Dees of the Department of Transportation’s Office of Motor Carrier Compliance, head the joint traffic safety initiative. Their goal is to save lives by increasing awareness about unsafe driving acts and habits that often cause auto accidents involving commercial vehicles.

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An accident involving a semi truck and a van at the intersection of Interstates 10 and 75 in Columbia County resulted in two people sent to the hospital with injuries. A 15-year-old girl from Alabama, transported to Shands at the University of Florida, sustained injuries described as serious. The 42-year-old driver of the 1999 Dodge van, also from Alabama, received medical treatment for undisclosed minor injuries at Lake City Medical. The 43-year-old driver of the 2000 Freightliner semi truck involved in the accident was reportedly unhurt.

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