Pedestrian Killed while Crossing Orange Blossom Trail

A person driving a Jeep Cherokee down Orange Blossom Trail in Orange County was reportedly unable to avoid a collision with a pedestrian early on Sunday morning, an accident which resulted in the death of the pedestrian and a continuing investigation by members of the Florida Highway Patrol.  The initial report from the Florida Highway Patrol states that the pedestrian was a 37-year-old from Cocoa who was on foot on the western side of Orange Blossom Trail.  It was close to 2:00 in the morning and the man was walking just east of the intersection of Orange Blossom Trail and Jordan Avenue when he decided to try and cross the street.

Even though it appears that the man was close to the juncture of OBT and Jordan Avenue, the particular area where the individual chose to cross is not an intersection and neither does it feature a crosswalk to help pedestrians safely move from one side of OBT to the other.  It is not clear just why the pedestrian chose to leave the side of the road at this time, nor is it clear why they did not see the Jeep Cherokee coming down OBT towards them.

The report did not indicate what steps the driver of the Jeep took to avoid the pedestrian, but the language of the Florida Highway Patrol also indicated that most of the focus is being placed on the pedestrian’s choice to cross the road where no crosswalk was located.  After the Jeep struck the man, the driver of the Jeep stayed in the area while the police and paramedics arrived.  The struck man was rushed by ambulance to Orlando Regional Medical Center, but troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol stated that the severe injuries that the man suffered in the crash were too much for the medical staff to overcome.  He was declared dead shortly after arriving at ORMC.

The person behind the wheel of the Jeep was uninjured in the incident, and it is believed that they cooperated with the Florida Highway Patrol during the initial stages of the investigation.  At the time of this writing, that investigation is still ongoing and no charges have yet emerged.

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.