Kissimmee Teen Severely Injured in Pedestrian Accident While Trying to Board a School Bus
A Kissimmee teen struck and severely injured in a recent pedestrian accident is reportedly barely clinging to life after being struck by a car. Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers report that the young man was trying to board a school bus when he was struck and injured by a car driven by an 86-year-old Orlando man. Troopers say that the driver passed the school bus while it was stopped, had its lights flashing and had its stop sign deployed. The 16-year-old victim is being treated at Arnold Palmer Hospital and is listed in critical condition.
Bicyclists Begin 3,000-Mile Ride to Raise Awareness About Bicycle Accidents
Em Baker and her friends Nick Navarro and Lauren Gardner are uncommonly motivated bicyclists. They recently began a 3,000-mile bike journey across the country to raise awareness about bicycle accidents and how riders and vehicles can share the road safely and responsibly. They are riding from San Francisco, Ca., to Orlando and have charted a very ambitious course, literally and figuratively. Beginning in San Francisco, the trio will ride south to San Diego. They will then follow the Southern Tier suggested by the Adventure Cycling Association through Phoenix, Austin, Baton Rouge and other coastal cities before arriving in the decidedly bicycle-unfriendly city of Orlando.
Interstate 75 Pileup in Florida Injures Numerous Victims
A multi-vehicle accident on Friday involved as many as 47 vehicles, and a number of accident victims experienced injuries. There were multiple crashes in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 near the Manatee/Sarasota county line. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said that there was a great deal of mangled wreckage strewn along the highway due to the pileup. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there were at least 52 people who were taken to area hospitals, and three victims were airlifted from the scene of the accident. Fortunately, there were no reported fatalities. The accident occurred after 3 p.m. during a rain storm, and it is very possible that the weather was a contributing factor.
Series of Florida Auto Accidents on I-4 Sends Three People to Area Hospitals
Three Kissimmee residents were injured recently in three separate auto accidents on Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. Police say that the first accident began when a 1997 Saturn driven by a 23-year-old Ocklawaha woman attempted to merge onto I-4 from an onramp but abruptly changed lanes and drove into the path of a 1980 Toyota Corolla driven by a 19-year-old Kissimmee man. Shortly thereafter, a 22-year-old Kissimmee woman driving a 1999 Mazda slowed to avoid colliding with the wreckage and was rear-ended by a 2011 Toyota Camry driven by a 57-year-old Orlando man.
Woman Using Walker Killed in Seminole County Pedestrian Accident
A 64-year-old Winter Springs woman was struck and killed recently in a pedestrian accident on Red Bug Lake Road. The nursing home resident was using her walker for safety and stability while walking along Red Bug Lake Road around 8:45 p.m. one recent evening when she was struck and killed by a 2000 Nissan driven by a 19-year-old Winter Springs man. Accident investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol say that the driver of the Nissan was eastbound on Red Bug Lake Road near Willa Springs Drive when his vehicle struck the victim. Troopers say that the victim was wearing dark clothing and was not in a crosswalk when she attempted to cross Red Bug Lake Road. Troopers said that they don’t expect to file charges against the driver in connection with this tragic accident. The victim was taken to Florida Hospital Altamonte, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries.
Area Florida Students Warned of the Dangers of Texting While Driving
This past spring, the Kissimmee Police Department organized and staged an auto accident with the help of four Osceola High School drama students. Like similar staged accidents to warn teens of the dangers of drinking and driving, this accident scene was constructed to discourage teen drivers from texting while behind the wheel. Teens and police officers report that the staged accident was a huge success and that they may stage similar events in other Florida high schools.
Two People Hospitalized in Orlando Hit-and-Run Accident
Orlando police believe that illegal street racing may have been a factor in a recent hit-and-run accident that sent two people to an area hospital with serious injuries. Their investigation is still ongoing, but police say that the two victims were waiting for a bus along Millenia Boulevard when a Ford Focus struck them as they sat on a bench. The victims are a vacationing couple from England, who were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center. Witnesses report that they saw a black Ford Focus and black Honda Accord speeding along Millenia Boulevard just before the accident occurred.
Orlando Motorcyclist Killed in Collision With Tractor-Trailer
A man was killed recently when his motorcycle collided with a tractor-trailer on Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando. Florida Highway Patrol troopers investigating the accident have not released the name or address of the victim but say that he was 47 years old and lived in the Orlando metropolitan area. Troopers say that the truck was westbound on Principal Row around 6 a.m. when it attempted to turn into a driveway. The motorcyclist was traveling behind the truck, and, when the truck slowed, the rider accelerated and tried to pass the semi on the right side. When the truck began turning into the driveway, the rider collided with the cab and was partially run over. The rider was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead from his injuries. The truck driver, a 34-year-old Orlando man, was not injured in the accident. The FHP investigation is still ongoing, and no charges have been filed in connection with the accident.
Burglary Suspects Face Additional Charges After Accident on Florida Turnpike
Two men that were charged with a variety of crimes in connection with a string of auto burglaries will now face additional charges stemming from a high-speed chase and accidents they caused on the Florida Turnpike. Law enforcement officials who have been working on the car burglaries say that the two men belong to a burglary ring they have been calling “Felony Lane.” The driver of the car that led police on the chase and caused three accidents is 23-year-old male. He faces charges of resisting arrest, aggravated fleeing and eluding and three counts of leaving the scene of an accident with bodily injuries in addition to grand theft and auto burglary charges.
More Information On Florida DOT Program to Make Roads Safer for Bicyclists and Pedestrians
Last month, we wrote about the Florida Department of Transportation’s "Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow…Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident" safety awareness campaign for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. As you know, several urban areas in our state are among the most dangerous in the country for pedestrians and bicyclists, and the DOT is working with safety advocates to make the new campaign reach as many people as possible. Elements of the program include increased public awareness of the scope of the problems, safer street design, additional bike paths and stepped-up police enforcement. However, organizers say that in order for the campaign to be successful, it will require everyone who uses Florida roadways to rethink how they use and share the road.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a vehicle accident, call at (386) 243-4994.
Verdicts & Settlements
- Rear End Car Accident:
$3.75 Million Recovery - Semi-Truck Accident:
$1.5 Million Recovery - Van Rollover:
$1.2 Million Wrongful Death Recovery - Rear End Bus Accident:
$775,000.00 Recovery - Truck Collides with Cow:
$500,000.00 Recovery