Child Dies in Crash Between Semi and Van in Lake County

Reports are just beginning to surface around a deadly car accident that happened on the Florida Turnpike in Lake County this past Saturday.  The incident, which involved a semi-truck and a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan, happened close to the 290th mile marker along the turnpike, somewhere around 1:15 in the morning.  Although the incident continues to be under investigation from the Florida Highway Patrol, we do know that the event began when the semi-truck, which was being driven by a 51-year-old, struck the Dodge from behind.

It is not clear if the information contained in the various reports comes from witnesses to the crash or from the participants, but the official line is that the truck was driving faster than the minivan and that as it closed the gap between itself and the rear of the other vehicle the driver of the truck did not slow down.  The reports did not state if something happened within the cab of the truck to make the driver unaware of what was about to happen (if, for instance, they suffered from a medical emergency or if they drifted off to sleep in the moments leading up to the collision), but we do know that the front of the truck slammed into the rear of the Dodge.

The semi-truck pushed the minivan violently against the guardrail near the right shoulder of the highway, causing devastating damage to the vehicle as well as to the passengers inside.  The truck, now completely out of control, also overturned in the incident.  No update existed on the condition of the truck’s driver.

Inside of the minivan was a family with four young children.  As a result of the crash, one of these children, a 7-year-old, suffered critical injuries.  Emergency response crews rushed this child to a nearby hospital, but the extent of their injuries was beyond what any medical staff could remedy, and he was declared dead sometime after arriving at the medical center.

The driver of the minivan as well as the other three children also suffered from severe injuries, and their current condition is not known.  The other adult inside of the minivan is believed to have experienced injuries that are not serious.

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.