One Dead, One Critically Injured in Central Florida Two-Vehicle Crash

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 5, 2020

On Tuesday, March 24th, a 55-year-old from Dade City was riding their 1985 Honda 1200 motorcycle down the southern lanes of County Road 41 – also known as Fort King Road – when they were involved in a side-impact collision with a 2015 Nissan Rogue. The accident, which took place close to the City of Tampa, was tended to by members of the Florida Highway Patrol as well as numerous other emergency response teams. It is from these agencies that we received the initial reports regarding the incident.

In these reports, it is stated that the incident began around 7:00 in the evening. At this time, a 22-year-old from the City of Zephyrhills was behind the wheel of a 2015 Nissan Rogue and traveling down the northern lanes of County Road 41. As mentioned above, the 55-year-old biker was also traveling down County Road 41, the difference being that they were headed south. On the back of the motorcycle was a 49-year-old Dade City resident.

It was as they neared the intersection of Bozeman Road that the driver of the Nissan Rogue left the northern lanes for a moment in order to pass a pickup truck traveling at a slower rate or speed. It is not clear if this area is clear for such passing, and the reports failed to mention this matter. It was as the 22-year-old driver of the Rogue was reentering the northern lanes of County Road 41 that something happened to cause them to leave the roadway and enter the shoulder. In an attempt to correct the course of the car, it appears as though the 22-year-old overcorrected their vehicle, an event which resulted in the driver losing control of the vehicle completely.

The Rogue began to spin over the road, rapidly making its way across the northern lanes and into the southern ones where the motorcycle being driven by the 55-year-old was about to pass. The sudden incursion of the out-of-control SUV caught the 55-year-old off guard, and they were not able to avoid the larger vehicle. The motorcycle collided heavily with the right side of the Rogue, and the motorcyclist and their passenger suffered severe injuries as a result.

When first responders reached the scene, they began to treat the injured. The 55-year-old driver of the motorcycle was declared dead as a result of the crash while their 49-year-old passenger was rushed from the scene to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa for treatment of critical injuries.

There were three people traveling inside of the Rogue at the time of the crash. None of them were injured.

Charges are currently pending against the driver of the Rogue.

Sources:

• Dade City motorcyclist dies in crash on County Road 41

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.