Many Hospitalized after 15 Cars Crash in Orange County Fog

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 27, 2018

Two collisions, one of them involving 15 different vehicles, on State Road 520 in Orange County this past Thursday resulted in the injury of eight people and the beginning of a rigorous series of investigations by the Florida Highway Patrol. According to the reports so far, the first crash took place on State Road 520, close to Nova Road and the county line separating Orange County from Brevard County.

Authorities state that the incident occurred when one driver, traveling with an infant, reached an area of the road where they felt the visibility around them was noticeably lower due to a heavy fog drifting through the area. The driver began to slow down in order to more safely navigate the roadway, but her maneuvers were apparently not noticed by another car behind her. This second car rear-ended the first, causing injuries to both the woman and her child. At the time of this writing, it is believed that the infant has been taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and that they are being treated as a trauma alert.

The second collision involved 15 separate cars, all of which were also either just entering or inside of the heavy fog. The precise details around this collision were not included in the initial reports, but we do know that several of the cars involved were still traveling at or around the posted speed limit of 65 mph when the collisions took place. The resulting damage to both the vehicles and the drivers was noted in the report.

Out of the two serious collisions, six of the victims involved found themselves transported from the scene to Florida Hospital East. Two other victims were taken to an emergency room in Oviedo.

A statement from Lt. Channing Taylor with the Florida Highway Patrol indicated that there was some surprise among first responders that the injuries were not more severe. Lt. Taylor told reporters that the condition of some of the cars led first responders to believe that there would be numerous fatalities at the scene, and the fact that anyone walked away is something of a miracle.

Lt. Taylor credited the dense fog, which rolled in suddenly and unexpectedly, with causing the majority of the collisions, although there will still be an investigation into the crashes. Charges are also believed to be pending in both of the separate instances.

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.