Escambia County Rear-End Collision Kills 11-Year-Old Passenger

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on October 6, 2020

On October 3^rd, 2020, five people were injured and one was killed after a two-car crash along State Road 97 near Walnut Hill in Escambia County. According to collision reports from the Florida Highway Patrol, a 16-year-old pickup truck driver was attempting to pass another vehicle while traveling in a no-passing zone and as a result of this dangerous decision, he rear-ended the SUV in front of him which fatally injured an 11-year-old passenger.

It was approximately 9:15 this past Saturday morning when first responders and officers operating in Walnut Hill and the surrounding Escambia County started to receive calls regarding a rear-end collision on S.R. 97 just one mile south of Tungoil Road. Preliminary investigations by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) indicate that a 16-year-old male teenager from Molino was driving his GMC Sierra pickup truck southbound down the two-lane highway when he entered into a no passing zone within the northbound lane in order to get past slow-moving traffic. It was during this maneuver that the teenager crashed his pickup into the rear-end of a Mitsubishi Outlander which was attempting to make a left turn into the driveway of a private residence at the time.

Authorities arrived at the scene of the devastating accident to find that six individuals required medical attention – two teens within the GMC Sierra and an Alabama family of four inside the Mitsubishi Outlander. Escambia County EMS immediately transported the SUV’s 43-year-old driver and patriarch along with a 9-year-old female passenger to a local hospital with critical injuries. Both the 42-year-old mother, also in critical condition, and her 11-year-old son were medevaced by a MedStar helicopter to a nearby Pensacola hospital. Unfortunately, due to the severity of his injuries sustained in the crash, the little boy was unable to recover and he passed away shortly after arrival.

The 16-year-old driver of the pickup truck did not suffer from any injuries in the accident, however, his 16-year-old male passenger required minor medical treatment and was taken to the hospital via ambulance by Escambia County EMS. The Florida Highway Patrol is currently conducting an investigation into this tragic rear-end collision.

For over 40 years, the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. has been representing the victims of auto accidents. If you would like to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation, please fill out our contact form or call us today at 877-FL-INJURY for additional information.

Sources:

• 11-Year Old Boy Killed In Highway 97 Wreck; 9-Year Old Girl And Three Others Injured
• 11-year-old boy dies, 9-year-old girl seriously injured in crash on State Road 97
• Flomaton Elementary Grieving Loss Of Student Killed In Saturday Wreck Near Walnut Hill

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.