Possible DUI Charges in Car Accident that Claimed the Lives of Two Nuns

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on October 5, 2009

A WBBH Channel 2 report describes a car accident that claimed the lives of two nuns from Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Cape Coral. According to law enforcement officials investigating the accident, it occurred sometime on the afternoon of September 27, 2009 near US 41 and Gran Via Trail. Police say that a 60-year-old North Fort Myers man who attempted to make a left turn onto Gran Via Trail against a red light caused the auto accident.

In turning against the light, the man turned his Chevrolet Tahoe into the path of three nuns in a Toyota Prius who were southbound on US 41 reportedly returning from a retreat. A spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol said, “The white car, it appears that they never did brake, so it was a direct impact, it was a lot of trauma involved.”

Emergency personnel transported the 67-year-old driver of the Prius to Lee Memorial Hospital with undisclosed injuries; the hospital subsequently released her. The FHP said that the victims killed were both nuns in their 80s. The driver of the Tahoe is under investigation for driving under the influence of alcohol.

In a 2007 report on drunk driving accidents across the country, Florida ranked third behind California and Texas for most people injured and killed in drunk driving accidents. The report said that 1,111 people were killed in alcohol-related car accidents that year and many thousands more are injured in accidents caused by drunk drivers each year.

Despite increased awareness about drunk driving, severe criminal penalties, randomly located roadside safety checks and other measures to dissuade people from driving drunk, negligent drivers still drink and drive. In doing so, they imperil their own lives and the lives of others. Deaths and injuries caused by drunk drivers are among the most egregiously negligent as these irresponsible drivers know the dangers of drinking and driving.

If you suffered injuries in a drunk driving accident in Central Florida or someone you care for has been killed by a drunk driver, Orlando drunk driving lawyer James O. Cunningham may be able to help you. He helps accident victims receive financial compensation to offset medical costs and other accident-related expenses. Call today for your free consultation.

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.