Elderly Man Involved in Leesburg Hit-and-Run Accident

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on June 29, 2015

Hit and run accidents are on the rise the Orlando area and across the state of Florida. A Florida Highway Patrol spokesman recently told local media that the agency receives reports of 25 to 30 hit-and-run accidents each day in Central Florida. The phenomenon has become such a problem that Florida Highway Patrol has assigned a deputy to investigate just hit-and-run accidents.

The agency had one more hit-and-run accident to investigate after a man was killed in Leesburg on June 10. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Scott Parrish, of Leesburg, was walking along the side of U.S. Highway 27 near the intersection with Arlington Ridge Boulevard. Parrish lives in the area and walks a mile and half along the road to work. He was well known in the local community and local residents give him a ride to work. At the time of the accident, a driver had pulled over to pick Parrish up. A Hyundai SUV was driving along the road and struck and killed the 58-year-old man. Parrish was pronounced dead at the scene.

The SUV did not stop and assist Parrish, letting him die on the side of the road. Several witnesses saw the accident and alerted authorities of the hit-and-run accident. A short time later, Leesburg Police Department officers located the vehicle not far from the scene of the accident at a liquor store.

Law enforcement officials say William Thomas, 88, was identified as the driver of the SUV. He was questioned about the accident. It’s unclear why Thomas crossed into the grass on the side of the road. Law enforcement officials say charges are pending in the accident, but Thomas was not arrested. He told law enforcement officials that he thought a tree or another object had hit his vehicle.

Thomas had previous infractions on his driving record. In 2010, he was cited for careless driving, and in 2005 he received a ticket for failing to obey a traffic control device. Troopers spent several hours speaking with Thomas and examining his vehicle. They say the windshield on the vehicle was badly cracked and the left fender was damaged.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Leesburg auto accident, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. immediately at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) for a free initial consultation.

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.