8-Year-Old Dead after SUV Flips in St. Cloud

An SUV carrying eight people flipped over while travelling along U.S. 192 in Osceola County late Sunday night. According to the Florida Highway Patrol’s report, the crash occurred around 11:45 p.m., close to where U.S. 192 intersects with Deer Park Road. Based on the evidence they have been able to compile, the Florida Highway Patrol stated that an unnamed 40-year-old woman was behind the wheel of a 2002 Toyota Sequoia when the treads on one of the rear tires suddenly separated.

Travelling in the eastbound lanes, the the woman then lost control of the vehicle, after which it rolled over. During those terrible moments, one of the passengers in the car, an 8-year-old boy who is believed to have been visiting the country from Jamaica, was thrown out of one of the car’s windows. When the emergency response teams arrived, there was nothing they could do for the badly injured boy. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Other than the 40-year-old driver and the young boy, there were several others in the car: a 72-year-old man, a 35-year-old man, two 13-year-old girls, a 51-year-old man, and a 66-year-old woman. The 72-year-old man, 51-year-old man, and 66-year-old woman all suffered from critical injuries as a result of the crash. They were transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment.

The others, who also sustained injuries of a less-serious nature, were transported from the scene of the crash to St. Cloud Hospital. At the time of this writing, the condition of any individual other than the deceased 8-year-old is not known.

In concluding their report, the Florida Highway Patrol indicated that their investigation discovered that only two people in the car were wearing seat belts: the driver and the 35-year-old man. The rest of the passengers, including the 8-year-old boy, were not using their seat belts at the time of the accident.

An investigation is ongoing to determine just what happened to cause the treads on the tire to separate.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.