Child Pressured to Drive, Crashed in Port St. Lucie

A woman in Port St. Lucie was arrested last tuesday after an incident occurred which boggled the minds of the Port St. Lucie Police Department and led to the hospitalization of several children. According to the Port St. Lucie Police report, the 20-year-old Brittney Powell was driving along Northeast Airoso Boulevard when she turned to the 12-year-old beside her and asked if she wanted to learn how to drive.

When questioned in the hospital, the 12-year-old told the authorities that she told Powell she did in fact not want to learn how to drive at that point in time. The young girl told the police that, despite her wishes, the 20-year-old Powell pressured her into climbing behind the wheel of the vehicle while Powell shifted over to the passenger seat. Once there, Powell directed the young girl to drive to the Circle K gas station. Apparently, Powell said that she wanted something to drink from the popular destination.

The trip to the Circle K went well, but during the return drive the 12-year-old crashed into an SUV at the intersection of Northeast Airoso Boulevard and Southeast St. When the police arrived, they found Powell in the passenger seat, the 12-year-old in the driver’s seat. Adding to the disturbing picture were a 7-year-old and an 11-year-old sitting in the back of Powell’s car. The driver of the SUV was also traveling with two young children. None of them were driving. The report further noted that neither Powell nor the 12-year-old were wearing seat belts when the crash took place.

All those involved in the crash were taken to nearby hospitals. None of their injuries are considered to be life-threatening or overly severe, however it is impossible to guess at the full scope of such an accident. Many times, those involved in even the most benign of crashes find themselves struggling to recover from injuries that manifest themselves weeks, months, and sometimes years after the initial incident took place. Especially in crashes involving such young people, the injuries that occur might physically and emotionally affect them at the time when they are undergoing crucial development.

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.