New Stoplight in Lake County Blamed by Many for Deadly Rear-End Collision

Drivers who regularly travel through a Lake County stretch of State Road 46 may or may not have noticed a new traffic light that lies at the intersection of SR 46 and SR 453.  This light, which is supposed to increase the safety of the intersection and the area, was erected only recently, and many drivers who are used to traveling through the intersection without a traffic signal are complaining that the sudden emergence of a stop light will cause potential issues.  These concerns were given a tragic boost of plausibility after a 37-year-old man died while passing through this intersection on the first of April.

The report from the Florida Highway Patrol says that the light was red when the 37-year-old man neared it on his motorcycle.  The area with the light had only opened the previous afternoon, and motorists were still trying to get used to its presence.  The motorcyclist was traveling behind a Ford Fiesta and both of these vehicles stopped at the red light while the traffic from the crossing streets progressed.

Into this scene came a Ford SUV being driven by a 24-year-old from Sorrento.  Based on the following events, it appears as though the 24-year-old did not notice the traffic light or the stopped cars.  The SUV then collided with the rear of the motorcycle, sending it into the rear of the Fiesta and trapping the motorcyclist in between the two vehicles.

Emergency response teams reached the area quickly after a 9-1-1 call was placed, and they reported that the driver of the SUV and the motorcyclist were injured but alive when they arrived.  The driver of the Fiesta is believed to have escaped the crash with only minor injuries that were treatable at the scene.  Paramedics rushed the other two to nearby hospitals.

The motorcyclist in particular was believed to be in critical condition, and despite the fast attention of the medical teams he was not able to be saved.  The report indicates that he was declared dead a short while after arriving at the hospital.

An investigation is underway and charges are pending as authorities try to unravel the reasons behind the incident.  In an attempt to alert drivers to the sudden change at the intersection, the Florida Highway Patrol has placed a new sign in the area warning them of the new traffic light.

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.