Pulse Survivor Killed in Orange County Collision

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on May 30, 2017

In a tragic run of events, one of the survivors from the Pulse nightclub shooting was killed on Monday when their car was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle on State Road 417 in the early hours of the morning. The report filed by Florida State Troopers states that Jahqui Sevilla, the 20-year-old Pulse survivor, was driving her 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer along the Central Florida Greenway at around 12:30 in the morning when her car, for reasons that are unknown, left the southbound lanes, drove across the grassy median, and entered the northbound lanes driving in the wrong direction.

At this time, a 2016 Dodge Durango was headed northbound on State Road 417, and the two vehicles collided with one another. Emergency response crews rushed to the intersection of State Road 417 and University Boulevard where the crash occurred and began working to free all the individuals involved from their vehicles. In addition to Jahqui Sevilla, the crash also involved the 53-year-old Soraya Matias-Roth, from Lakeland, and three other passengers in the Durango. Sevilla and Matias-Roth we rushed to the Florida Hospital East, but both had sustained injuries too traumatic for the doctors to be able to save them. Sevilla and Matias-Roth were pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

A 10-year-old who was in the car with Matias-Roth was taken to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. According to the Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson, Sgt. Kim Montes, the young boy was considered to be in stable condition as of 7:30 Monday morning. The two others who were involved in the accident were reported to have suffered minor injuries, but other than that they are believed to be physically in good condition.

This accident, like all fatal accidents, is heartbreaking. At the time of this writing, the authorities are looking into whether or not alcohol or other substances played a role in the accident. It is devastating to think that one of those who was able to survive the worst shooting in modern American History was behind the wheel when her car caused a head-on collision that resulted in both her and another person’s death. The whole scenario serves as yet another reminder of how dangerous Florida roadways can be when all drivers are not paying strict attention to the road before them and obeying all traffic laws.

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.