Bicycle Accident | Orlando Accident & Injury Blog - Part 8
Police Make Arrest in Fatal Florida Hit-and-Run Bicycle Accident
Police have made an arrest in a fatal hit-and-run bicycle accident in Orange County that killed a man recently. Police say that the victim was riding his bike on Albatross Street around 10 p.m. one recent evening and was trying to cross Park Avenue when he was struck by a Toyota Yaris. The impact threw him onto the street, where he was run over by a 2003 Infiniti SUV driven by an Apopka woman. Police report that the SUV dragged the victim’s body “a substantial distance” and that the victim died immediately after being struck by the SUV. The accident shocked James O. Cunningham and other Orlando bicycle accident attorneys due to the woman’s callousness. After striking the victim and dragging his body an unknown distance, witnesses say she stopped but did not get out of her car despite being told by three witnesses that she had hit the bicyclist.
Charges Filed in Fatal Florida Hit-and-Run Bicycle Accident
An Oakland Park man wanted in connection with a recent fatal hit-and-run bicycle accident now faces charges, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Officers report that the man faces multiple charges including failing to stop or remain at the scene of a fatal accident, driving with a suspended license and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. The 37-year-old suspect is being held in the Broward County jail on $65,500 bail, which includes a previous warrant for driving on a suspended license.
Two Florida Men Killed, One Injured in Bicycle Accident
Three longtime friends and passionate cyclists were halfway through an 850-mile journey when the trip ended in tragedy. Two of the Sanford men were killed and the other injured when they were struck by a van while riding through rural Georgia. The men were indulging their love of cycling and spending time together while raising money for a DeBary-based Christian mission. Their journey began when they loaded their bikes into a rental van bound for Washington, D.C., where they posed for pictures in their riding gear in front of the White House and began their trip back home to Central Florida.
Recent Editorial Sheds Light on Orlando’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Accident Problems
A recent editorial published in the Orlando Sentinel caught the eye of Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham recently and resonated so strongly in him that he wanted to share it with his readers. The editorial was written by a local bicyclist named David Moran, who was inspired to craft his opinion after a recent well-publicized bicycle accident where a bicyclist was struck and killed by a fire truck. An excerpt from Mr. Moran’s editorial included the following:
Florida Crossing Guard Struck By Car
An Orange County crossing guard was struck by a car and injured one recent morning while on the job at 39th Street and Orange Blossom Trail. Florida Highway Patrol officers investigating the incident say that the accident occurred on the morning of October 25 when the 60-year-old crossing guard was struck and injured by a car driven by a 24-year-old Orlando man who was making a left turn onto Orange Blossom Trail. Officers say children were crossing the street when the accident occurred, and witnesses say that when the woman saw the car heading toward the crosswalk, she put up her hands to protect the children. She fell to the pavement after impact and was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment for undisclosed injuries. Charges are pending against the driver of the car.
Florida Bicyclist Killed By Hit-and-Run Driver in Sanford
Accident investigators looking into a fatal hit-and-run bicycle accident that occurred early in the morning of August 28 say that the victim’s body had been lying on the shoulder of Monroe Road for nearly two hours before it was found. Florida Highway Patrol officials say the 36-year-old victim rode his bicycle on Highway 17-92 for 14 miles in each direction nearly every day on his way to and from work. FHP troopers said that the owner of a pickup truck that struck and killed the bicyclist had turned the vehicle over to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office sometime later that afternoon. No charges have been filed against the 54-year-old truck owner in connection with the accident, but troopers called the man a “person of interest” in the case.
Study Claims Sidewalks More Dangerous for Bicycle Riders
Bike riders in Florida and Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham know very well that our state is the most dangerous for bicyclists. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 107 riders were killed in bicycle accidents in 2009, and our state ranks first in the nation for total numbers of bicycle accidents and numbers of people injured and killed year after year. This knowledge may inspire riders to ride on sidewalks rather than streets and highways, but a study conducted in California a few years ago found that riding on sidewalks is actually more dangerous than riding on streets and highways is!
Brevard County Man Charged in Connection With Hit-and-Run Bicycle Accident
A Brevard County man charged in connection with a hit-and-run bicycle accident that seriously injured a seven-year-old boy riding his bicycle was arrested and taken into custody recently. Investigating officers say the boy was riding his bike near the intersection of Alma Boulevard and George Edwards Court on Thursday, May 26 when he tried to cross the road. Police say a Ford Ranger driven by the 41-year-old Brevard County man struck the boy and that the driver then fled the scene of the accident. Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham would like to remind readers that in the event of an accident, especially a hit-and-run accident, it is everyone’s responsibility to write down a description of the vehicle and driver and report the accident to police as soon as possible.
Florida Bicycle Safety Law Not Widely Known or Enforced
A Florida law passed a few years ago to help protect bicyclists from becoming bicycle accident victims has received little publicity or enforcement from state and local police according to recent findings. Five years ago, state lawmakers passed a law that requires motorists to maintain at least three feet of space when passing a bicyclist. Since then, only a few hundred drivers have received tickets for violating this law, and most had no idea that such a law was on the books. Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham would like to remind his readers to give riders even more room than the required three feet when passing them to reduce bicycle accidents and make roadways safer for everyone.
Orlando Personal Injury Attorney Reminds New Bicyclists About Safety
Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham knows that more and more people are biking instead of driving to get around the area. With gas prices around $4 per gallon and prices projected to reach up to $5 per gallon sometime this summer, we can expect to see even more people choosing two rather than four wheels to get around. As more bicyclists compete with motorized vehicles on area roadways, Mr. Cunningham would like to remind riders about some safety tips to keep biking safe and fun for everyone. To that end, here are some things to keep in mind while you’re out biking in the coming months and years.
James O. Cunningham
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.