Pasco County DUI Collision Kills Pickup Truck Driver from Holiday
According to preliminary collision reports from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, a 46-year-old elementary school secretary from Lakeland was arrested and charged with DUI manslaughter for her alleged involvement in a deadly car crash that claimed the life of a pickup truck driver on November 24, 2021.
What should have been a fun-filled weekend for the family of a Holiday man has suddenly turned into a time of mourning for his loved ones after he was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver the day before Thanksgiving. Deputies with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office indicate that it was approximately 8:45 p.m. Wednesday evening when the male victim and another motorist were involved in a minor fender-bender along Interstate 4 close to the Kathleen Road exit. Both drivers had pulled over and parked in the westbound lane of the interstate in order to exchange insurance information and were in the process of finishing their conversation and continuing their travel plans when a white Ford Fusion seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The driver, who police have now identified as 46-year-old Lakeland resident Lucretia Bruno, was allegedly swerving and driving in an erratic manner shortly before her out-of-control car slammed into the Holiday man’s pickup truck and then into the other vehicle on the shoulder of the road.
Statements retrieved from nearby witnesses said that they watched Bruno exit her vehicle after the accident but needed to lean on her car to steady herself as she stumbled around the crash site.
Local first responders and officers with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene of the accident within a matter of minutes, however, the driver of the pickup truck had already passed away from the injuries he sustained during the collision. It is unclear if the other motorist from the first incident was harmed.
Although authorities are still waiting for the results of the blood-alcohol test administered to the driver of the Ford Focus, she admitted to drinking five or six beers at a local bar prior to the fatal collision and was charged with DUI manslaughter by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.
Since 1977, Florida wrongful death attorney James O. Cunningham has been compassionately representing the families who have lost a loved one due to a drunk driver. If you would like to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation, please contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule an appointment.
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.
