One Dead in Auto Accident on Foggy Stretch of State Road 589 Near Tampa

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on February 9, 2019

Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol are crediting a fatal accident that took place on Sunday, February 3rd, to an over-consumption of alcohol. The report states that the incident took place along State Road 589 and resulted in lane closures that lasted upwards of seven hours while the emergency crews and investigators engaged in their preliminary activities.

The crash happened close to 1:45 in the morning and involved two vehicles. One of them, a 2014 GMC being driven by a 39-year-old person from Frostproof, was headed northbound while the other, a 2006 Mini Cooper being driven by a 39-year-old Spring Hill resident, was traveling down the road’s southern lanes.

At the time that the two individuals were traveling down State Road 589, the weather had resulted in a thick haze of fog lying across the roadway. The fog dramatically reduced the visibility in the area, likely contributing to the factors that led to the incident, although the investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol seem keen to place alcohol at the forefront of their accusations.

The GMC approached the 38 milepost which is located an a stretch of State Road 589 that is also called County Line Road. This part of the roadway is located close to Tampa in Hernando County. For reasons that are not clear, the driver of the GMC lost control of their vehicle as they attempted to cut through the dense fog. It is entirely likely that the fog resulted in a situation where the driver become disoriented, leading them to accidentally shift their car into the other lane. Before the driver was able to remedy the situation, they collided head on with the Mini Cooper and its driver.

The crash was a violent one, and even though emergency response crews rushed to the scene shortly afterwards in order to provide much needed medical care, there was nothing that could be done to help the individual inside of the Mini Cooper. It is not clear if they were alive when the emergency crews arrived or if they were declared dead at the scene.

The GMC pickup truck erupted in flames as a result of the collision, although it is not clear if its driver suffered from any injuries as a result. It is not known if anyone else was in either of the cars or, if so, if they suffered from any injuries.

Sources:

• SPRING HILL MAN DIES IN WRONG-WAY CRASH ON SR 589

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.