Orlando Police Department Officer Crashes into Civilian

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on June 28, 2019

Police with the Orlando Police Department are involved in the investigation into an accident that took place on Sunday, June 23rd, that involved one of their own officers. At the time of this writing, much about the incident remains unknown, however it is clear that when the crash took place the officer in question was driving in a marked patrol car.

The officer in question is a 25-year-old resident of Orlando, and it was around 10:00 at night that this individual was on duty and driving their patrol car down the southern lanes of Westmoreland Drive, close to the intersection with Michigan Street. Driving down the northern lanes of Westmoreland at this same time was a 60-year-old Orlando resident who was behind the wheel of a 2006 Nissan.

As the officer reached the intersection of Westmoreland and Michigan Street, they decided to turn across traffic, onto Michigan. It is not clear if the officer saw the Nissan and thought they could make it or if they simply did not pay enough attention to the roadway around them when they made the turn. Regardless, the officer chose to turn across traffic at the exact moment that the 2006 Nissan reached the area. The driver of the Nissan was unable to stop their car in time, and the 25-year-old police officer struck the 60-year-old individual’s car with its front end.

It is believed that neither of the cars were traveling at a very advanced rate of speed when the crash took place, which likely accounts for why there were no fatal injuries in this almost head-on collision. Still, injuries were sustained by both parties. The officer escaped with the most surface injuries, reportedly a few scratches along his arms. The driver of the Nissan, on the other hand, fared somewhat worse and was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center where he was inspected for injuries that had sustained to his neck. The reports were fairly vague around just what the injuries to the individual’s neck consisted of, although it is fair to say that some of the most debilitating wounds – wounds that at first don’t seem anything more than minor – occur in neck injuries sustained in car accidents.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash at this time. It is not known if an independent organization is also investigating in order to ensure that there is no conflict of interest in the investigating body.

Sources:

• Orlando officer involved in 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.