Crash in Marion County Results in Car Fire, Fatality, and Hospitalization

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on May 28, 2020

A single-car crash that took place within Marion County resulted in the death of an individual and the critical injury of another. Reports on the accident come from the Florida Highway Patrol, members of which were at the scene shortly after the incident in question took place. According to these reports, the incident took place late on the night of Saturday, May 23rd, while people throughout the area were in the middle of their Memorial Day weekend celebration.

Shortly before the incident, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old were inside of a vehicle and making their way down Southwest 108th Street within the town of Dunnellon. The exact time of the incident was not included in the preliminary reports. Also not included within these reports is information relating to where the young people were coming from or where they were going. Information such as this can often be vital in an ongoing investigation as it provides much needed context to the events leading up to the accident.

It was after the driver turned their car down Southwest 108th Street that something happened within the cab. The reports stated that the car was speeding, although it is not clear how this information was obtained and verified. Nevertheless, the official belief is that the driver of the car was operating it at a speed above the posted limit. While traveling at this speed, the driver lost control of the vehicle.

No information was included in the report relating to how control of the car was lost. It is possible that the driver was distracted by the passenger or their phone. It is also possible that something such as an animal appeared suddenly in the roadway and the driver swerved to avoid striking it. One final possibility is that the road itself was degraded and when the wheels of the car struck a pothole it caused the steering wheel to wrench away from the driver in an unexpected manner.

No matter what the cause, the outcome is known. The car left the roadway and before the driver could regain control it struck a tree with considerable force. After this crash, the car erupted into flames.

Paramedics and EMTs reached the area shortly after being called and did their best to tend to the two young people, however the effects of the crash were severe. The driver of the car was declared dead at the scene and the passenger was taken to a nearby hospital while in critical condition.

No further details are available at this time.

Sources:

• 16-year-old driver killed, second teen injured in fiery Marion County crash

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.