One Person Killed in Auto Accident That Closes Bridge

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on May 5, 2011

An accident on the afternoon of May 6 claimed the life of one woman and closed the bridge over the St. Johns River between Sanford and Geneva, according to accident investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol. Officers said the accident involved three vehicles and happened on State Road 46 around 1:30 p.m. when the 39-year-old victim drove across the centerline and struck an oncoming tow truck. Troopers say the victim was driving her 2000 Dodge Caravan eastbound across the bridge on S.R. 46 when she crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and sideswiped the westbound tow truck.

The collision spun the minivan, causing the victim to lose control and collide with a 1998 Ford F-150 that was traveling behind the tow truck. The impact spun the Caravan, and it came to a stop facing northeast on the northern part of the bridge. When the minivan sideswiped the tow truck, the impact sent the truck into the bridge’s concrete retaining wall on the northern side. The second impact also sent the F-150 pickup into the concrete wall, and, when it stopped moving, troopers said it was hanging partially over the wall.

The victim was taken by ambulance to Central Florida Regional Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The 25-year-old driver of the F-150 was also taken to Central Florida Regional Hospital for treatment for minor injuries. The driver of the tow truck received very minor injuries in the crash and refused medical treatment at the accident scene. The S.R. 46 bridge remained closed for several hours while investigators reconstructed the accident and debris was cleared, but the bridge reopened later that evening.

If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by someone who was killed in the crash, you still have legal options. With the assistance of an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney such as James O. Cunningham, you may be able to receive compensation to help cover medical bills and other costs from the at-fault party’s estate. For more information about your legal options, schedule a free consultation with Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham. Call his law offices at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today.

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.