Melbourne Man Killed in Kissimmee Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on October 6, 2014

Florida Highway Patrol troopers report that a 26-year-old Melbourne man was struck and killed recently near the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Osceola County. Troopers say that the victim had bent down to retrieve some keys when he was struck and killed by a black 2007 Mazda sport utility vehicle near the intersection of Old Vineland Road and North Poinciana Boulevard. The accident occurred around 2:20 a.m. when the victim and three friends were driving to a nearby hotel. Apparently, the victim was dangling his arm out the window of the car when he accidentally dropped his keys.

When the vehicle stopped and the victim got out to retrieve his keys, he was struck by the Mazda SUV. The driver of the SUV fled the scene of the accident without rendering any assistance. Troopers found the Mazda CX-7 a few hours later with front-end damage consistent with a pedestrian accident. When they spoke with the owner of the vehicle, he admitted that the SUV belonged to him but told them he was not driving the vehicle when the accident occurred. Troopers say that their investigation is ongoing and are asking anyone who witnessed the accident to contact them as soon as possible.

One trooper, FHP Sgt. Francina Ogburn, told reporters that this hit-and-run accident is the latest in a series of similar accidents in our area.

"It’s very disappointing — I’m a mother — and it’s beginning to be a trend. It’s happening a lot in (the Orlando area), but hopefully, if we get some help from the public, we’re going to find this individual and do what we need to do to bring justice to the family," she said.

Surely the individual responsible for this man’s death should be arrested and punished. However, criminal penalties offer little solace or compensation for a family missing the companionship and financial support of their loved one. When grieving families need legal assistance to help them explore their legal options, many turn to Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham. Mr. Cunningham has been using his skills, experience and resources to help families since 1977 and few Orlando wrongful death attorneys have more experience or a better record of success than Mr. Cunningham. If you would like to schedule a free consultation to learn more about your rights and legal options, call him today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587).

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.