RSSWrong Way I-4 Crash Leaves One Dead in Florida
An early morning wrong way crash on Florida’s Interstate 4 left one dead and shut down parts of the eastbound lanes for several hours. The crash happened near mile marker 33 and the ramp to US Highway 98 North.
According to police reports, the driver has been arrested following the crash on charges of driving while intoxicated. Florida Highway Patrol say the driver was heading west in the eastbound lanes in his 2005 Dodge Ram at around 3 am. While on the Carpenters Way Overpass he collided with a Ford Fusion driven by a 32 year old male. He suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene of the crash, while the suspect received only minor injuries.
Following the initial impact, another eastbound vehicle crashed into the second driver. According to police reports, this driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The suspect has been charged with DUI manslaughter, DUI property damage, DUI and driving in the wrong direction.
Florida Highway Patrol note that this, unfortunately, is not the first wrong way crash to happen on this interstate. Just last October a female drunk driver was arrested for traveling the wrong way on Interstate 4 and crashing into a barrier. What’s even more worrying is the fact that wrong way accidents are almost always serious. After all, whenever two vehicles traveling at a high speed and often with little time to react, the collisions are head on, causing significant impact force and substantial intrusion into both cars. Needless to say, as is shown in the case at hand, more often not wrong way crashed result in serious injuries – if not death.
Although in the case at hand the cause of the wrong way crash was drunk driving, this is by no means the only cause. Other common causes of wrong way accidents include:
- Improper signage
- Obscured signage due to vegetation overgrowth or poor lighting
- Road construction
- Being unfamiliar with the road
- Distracted driving
If you or a loved one are the victim of a Florida wrong way accident, you have the legal right to compensation for your injuries. To learn more, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today.
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.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.