Florida Corrections Officer Severely Injured in Collision with Semi

An officer had just dropped off an inmate recently released from the Franklin Correctional Center, when the vehicle he was traveling in collided with a semi-truck on State Road 30. Officer James Massey was headed west in a 2005 Ford Taurus when, for an unknown reason, he crossed the center line and hit a 2015 Volvo semi, nearly head on.

Officer Massey’s vehicle spun around 180 degrees after the impact and ended up in the north shoulder of State Road 30. Massey was transported to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital to be treated for his injuries. He is listed in serious condition. Neither of the two occupants of the semi were injured in the accident. They were both wearing seat belts.

It is unknown at this time why Officer Massey crossed the center line in front of the semi. It may have been a second’s distraction, a driver’s miscalculation, or a vehicle malfunction. Whatever the reason, crossing the center line had disastrous implications for Massey. In accidents such as these, the importance of wearing safety restraints cannot be overstated. Safety restraints are designed to keep passengers within a vehicle in case of an accident, and prevent passengers from injury by keeping them in their seats instead of slamming up against the interior of the vehicle. Air bags are also a key component in keeping front passengers from hitting the steering wheel or dashboard.

Whenever any gets behind the wheel of a car, we encourage them to buckle up not only themselves, but also their passengers – especially their smallest passengers. There is no substitute for a proper safety seat for toddlers and infants. And it is against the law to transport children without one in your vehicle. Even the best of drivers can sometimes find themselves in dangerous accidents, and they are not always the ones at fault.

Don’t take a chance by choosing not to buckle up. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a traffic accident that resulted in serious bodily injury, please contact us today at 386-243-4994.

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.