One Dead, One Critically Injured in Florida Turnpike Crash

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on March 13, 2017

A deadly accident that occurred along the Florida Turnpike this past Friday has had additional information added by the Florida Highway Patrol. The initial report from indicated that an accident had taken place around 3:00 in the afternoon in Orange County. The report went on to say that this accident, which happened close to State Road 417, involved two individuals who were standing on the shoulder of the highway, attending to their vehicle, and a second vehicle that veered off of the highway and struck the two pedestrians. The new information provides the names of both foot-bound individuals, although it does not yet give a name to the driver of the vehicle.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s new statement outlines the events of Friday as follows:
Close to 3:00 in the afternoon, Edith Cebada, a 73-year-old Kissimmee resident, and Humberto Cebada, a 76-year-old Kissimmee resident, were standing alongside their parked car as they attempted to secure a flapping plastic tarp over their hauled trailer. It is not known whether the location of their car was difficult to spot or whether or not they placed any sort of warning cones around themselves. Regardless, a truck, driven by an as-of-yet unnamed individual, approached the couple where they stood along the northbound shoulder.

At first, this second vehicle was traveling safely in the lanes provided for vehicular travel; however, as the truck neared the two Cebadas, it swerved off of the road and entered the shoulder. Both Humberto and Edith Cebada were hit by the speeding vehicle. When the emergency response teams arrived, they were forced to declare Humberto Cebada dead at the scene. Statements from the Florida State Troopers indicate that Edith Cebada was found to be alive, but in critical condition. She was rushed to the Osceola Regional Medical Center.

As the crash underwent investigation, all of the northbound lanes along the Florida Turnpike were blocked by emergency vehicles. The rush-hour traffic snaked well away from the scene, all the way past U.S. 192. As of this writing, no charges have been brought forward and there are no statements regarding the believed reasons behind the driver veering off of the road and suddenly striking the couple.

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.