Orlando Man Struck and Killed By Deputy Pursuing Illegal Street Racers
A tragic pedestrian accident has claimed the life of a 21-year-old Orlando man who stepped off a median on Wetherbee Road into the path of car driven by an Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy. The deputy was trying to stop an illegal street race around 3 a.m. early on the morning of July 3. Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham has seen tragic accidents like this happen many times over the years, and they all share a common thread – reckless and completely unnecessary and negligent driving. He knows that the sheriff’s deputy is as much of a victim as the unfortunate pedestrian who appeared to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when officers were trying to apprehend drag racers.
One witness to the fatal accident said that this stretch of Wetherbee Road is a favorite for drag racers and had seen a similar race just three months earlier. She said, “I asked the kid what’s going on, he says we’re watching a car show, I looked and was like this is not a car show it’s one in the morning.” She told the young people to leave, but they came back and caused this terrible tragedy. She warned them that night and wished they had heeded her advice.
“Cause if they would have listened they wouldn’t have been there, this wouldn’t have happened. My heart goes out to the family,” she said. She is all too familiar with tragedies caused by illegal street racing. Her 18-year-old son was struck and killed while watching a street race in 2009. She said ruefully that the accident occurred close to a nearby racing track where people could race their cars legally.
“I don’t think they’re listening. I really don’t, I’m not going to let it go,” she said. She and other moms have formed a group called Mothers Against Racing on the Streets. “I don’t want this to continue happening. I don’t want more families to get hurt.”
Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham doesn’t want more families to grieve the loss of a loved one either. He has seen the tragic results of street racing plenty of times over the course of his 34-year career and has helped grieving families seek damages against the reckless, negligent drivers who participate in these races. No amount of damages awarded in a settlement or court award can replace a life, but it can help grieving families recoup burial expenses and replace the earnings lost when their loved ones were killed. To schedule a free consultation with Mr. Cunningham, call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 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.