Fourth of July Wrong-Way Collision Kills Two Family Members in Osceola County
In what was supposed to be a fun-filled weekend of backyard barbecues, fireworks, and family reunions, the 4th of July celebrations were cut short for one family in Osceola County after a father and son duo were both tragically killed in a wrong-way collision Sunday evening along County Road 523.
According to preliminary accident reports from the Florida Highway Patrol officers operating within Osceola County, it was approximately 10:15 p.m. on July 4th, 2021, when a 65-year-old driver of a Toyota RAV 4 was travelling southbound against the flow of traffic in the northbound lanes of County Road 523. As the wrong-way driver entered the area near the intersection of Sullivan Road and County Road 523, the SUV crashed head-on into a Chevy pickup truck carrying 40-year-old Michael Skipper and his 14-year-old son who shares the same name, and went by ‘Mikey’ for short.
Osceola County emergency response teams and additional local law enforcement agencies were immediately dispatched to the two-vehicle collision, however, the 65-year-old Orlando resident/RAV 4 driver and the 40-year-old father/pickup truck driver had both sustained severe injuries in the head-on collision and they both died at the scene. Mr. Skipper’s teenage son was transported to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children for additional medical treatment, but he sadly passed away shortly after arriving at the trauma center.
Although the results of the toxicology reports submitted by the Florida Highway Patrol have yet to come back, there is a strong suspicion that the 65-year-old driver could’ve been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. “We have the suspicion because there was an empty keg in the vehicle, there were open containers in the vehicle. We will have to wait for the toxicology to come back,” stated FHP Lt. Kim Montes.
A friend of the Skipper family has created a GoFundMe page in order to assist with the upcoming funeral costs and expenses. Mr. Skipper was a 15-year employee with Universal Orlando, and his young son was an outstanding student at St. Cloud Middle School. They both shared a passion for fishing, sports, and spending time with family and friends.
Since 1977, Orlando auto accident attorney James O. Cunningham has been fighting for the rights of victims who have been seriously injured or killed in head-on collisions, drunk driver accidents, and wrong-way car accidents. Contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation.
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.