Palm Bay Students Struck by Cars in Separate Incidents

In two separate and alarming incidents in Palm Bay, two students from different schools were struck by passing vehicles last Thursday.  In one of the accidents, the driver of the vehicle responsible for the collision attempted to flee from the scene, but were subsequently captured by Palm Bay deputies.  According to the report from the Palm Bay Police Department, the first of the accidents happened just before 7:00 in the morning, as a 5-year-old student of the Odyssey Charter School and his father were crossing a crosswalk at the entrance of the school.

Lt. Mike Bandish, speaking on behalf of the Palm Bay Police Department, told news agencies that both the child and his father only experienced minor injuries as a result of this collision and that the driver of the offending car remained at the scene of the accident.

The second accident took place at the intersection of Emerson Drive and Glen Cove Avenue. An unnamed 12-year-old was on his bike, riding to class at Discovery Elementary School, when he was struck by a car attempting to turn onto Glen Cove Avenue.  Like the earlier incident, the boy on the bicycle was using the crosswalk and obeying all traffic laws.  The car, described as a grey Jeep Grand Cherokee, was being driven by a man police were able to identify as Christopher Harris, a resident of Palm Bay.  After striking the boy on the bike, Harris attempted to flee.  

Unfortunately for him, enough people had witnessed the incident (including a homeowner’s security cameras) that his attempted run from the scene was short lived.  Police were able to quickly locate and capture Harris, at which time they also learned that he was driving without possession of a driver’s license.

The boy on the bike, although thrown up on the hood of the car and placed in life threatening situation, only suffered from minor injuries.  It is believed that none of the individuals involved in the accidents last Thursday were admitted to the hospital and that all are recovering admirably from the injuries they sustained as the result of the collisions.

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.