Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

October 16, 2023

News: Woman charged with leaving scene after hitting pedestrian in Gainesville

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – Gainesville police announced an arrest in the case of a pedestrian who was struck by a car near the University of Florida.

According to the Gainesville Sun, 73-year-old Betty Jean Alexander-Bacon of Lake Butler faces a felony charge for a hit-and-run.

Authorities said Alexander-Bacon was driving at around midnight on Thursday when she struck the pedestrian who was crossing the street in the 1300 block of West University Avenue. The victim was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital for treatment. No details were immediately released on the person’s condition.

October 13, 2023

News: 3 injured when car collides with semi at US 41 intersection

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – Hernando County Fire Rescue crews were called to the scene of a collision on Wednesday evening.

HCFR posted details of the incident that occurred at the intersection of US 41 and Lake Lindsey Road at about 5 p.m.

A car collided with a semi-truck and the semi overturned off the roadway. The truck destroyed a power pole, causing live wires to fall across US 41. Three people sustained minor injuries and were taken to an area hospital.

October 12, 2023

News: Man facing DUI charge after crashing into FWC truck on US-19

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SPRING HILL, FL – Three people were injured in a crash involving an alleged drunk driver in Hernando County on Monday, reports the Suncoast News.

The Florida Highway Patrol released information on the accident that happened at the intersection of U.S. 19 and Breakwater Boulevard in Spring Hill.

According to the FHP, 72-year-old James Victor Cocchi of Spring Hill was driving a pickup truck north on U.S. 19 at 5:21 p.m. when he made a left turn at a traffic signal that was red. The vehicle crashed into the left side of a marked Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission pickup truck headed south on U.S. 19. Both vehicles came to rest in the intersection.

October 11, 2023

News: Woman struck and killed by pickup truck in Hernando County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene of a fatal pedestrian accident in Hernando County Monday morning.

A report by the Hernando Sun states that the incident happened at the intersection of US-41 and Spring Hill Drive in Spring Hill. According to the FHP, a woman was walking eastbound across US-41 shortly before 7 a.m. when she entered the path of a northbound Toyota Tacoma pickup truck and was hit by the vehicle.

The woman, a 40-year-old St. Petersburg resident, died after being taken to an area hospital. The pickup truck driver was a 25-year-old man from Brooksville.

October 10, 2023

News: Pickup truck crash on Florida Turnpike in Clermont leaves 2 dead

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CLERMONT, FL – An accident involving a pickup truck in Lake County on Saturday afternoon left two people dead, WKMG reports.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the incident happened along the Florida Turnpike near mile marker 280 in Clermont. According to the FHP, the driver of a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado was going south in a construction zone at about 2:30 p.m. when the vehicle went off the roadway and onto the right shoulder.

The pickup then collided with a concrete storm drain box and overturned. The driver and a back-seat passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the front seat was seriously injured and taken to an area hospital.

October 9, 2023

News: Woman killed, teen injured after being hit by vehicle on State Road 52

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – A pedestrian accident in Pasco County left a woman dead and her teenage son hospitalized, Pasco News Online reports.

The incident happened Sept. 30 on State Road 52 west of Ridgedale Drive. The Florida Highway Patrol said the 33-year-old woman and 15-year-old boy were trying to walk across the roadway from the south shoulder when they entered the path of an eastbound vehicle driven by a 27-year-old man. Both pedestrians were struck.

The woman was pronounced dead after being rushed to an area hospital, while her son was listed in serious condition.

October 6, 2023

News: Driver of stolen vehicle slams into tractor-trailer in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WILDWOOD, FL – Two drivers were injured in a collision involving a stolen vehicle in Sumter County Wednesday morning, WTVT reported.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the incident began when troopers attempted a traffic stop on the driver of a stolen Ford F-250 who was seen speeding and driving recklessly on I-75 in Wildwood just before 4:15 a.m.

The FHP said the driver kept going and took off onto State Road 44. After exiting the roadway, the fleeing driver turned around and crashed into a tractor-trailer making a left turn into the Pilot Travel Center in roadway. Both vehicles ended up in the center’s parking lot.

October 5, 2023

News: 4 children injured when school bus overturns in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a school bus accident in Marion County left four children injured last week.

WFTV reports details of the crash that occurred Friday afternoon on County Road 463 near SE 55th Place at about 3:06 p.m.

According to the FHP’s investigation, the 62-year-old driver of the school bus was going west when traffic ahead came to an abrupt stop. The driver, an Ocala woman, attempted to avoid those cars by steering into a grassy area, where the bus overturned onto its left side.

October 5, 2023

Hillsborough County Commissioner Looking to Improve Railroad Safety After 6 Killed in Train Crash | Florida Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Six people were killed in a collision with a train in Plant City on Sept. 23, and another was seriously injured and expected to survive the crash.

There is a stop sign placed at the railroad crossing where the fatal collision took place, but there is no signal light or crossing arms. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is still looking into why the motorist did not stop.

A Hillsborough County commissioner is considering installing signals and crossbars at each train intersection in the county in the wake of the fatal collision. According to Commissioner Michael Owen, whose district includes Plant City, there are 19 junctions in the county that just have a stop sign and no flashing lights or crossing arms, including the one where the accident occurred.

Owen intends to ask the board’s legal division to investigate what might be done to make those crossings safer during the next commission meeting. The board must first determine what they can do legally because the crossroads where the deadly collision happened on September 23 is located on a private road, according to Owen.

A sudden loss of family members can be devastating, making the task of seeking out a competent wrongful death lawyer much more challenging. You need an experienced wrongful death attorney who is also compassionate and not afraid to obtain the results you need and deserve.

Our Florida Injury and Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton want to get you the economic and non-economic damages you are entitled to, including:

Medical bills
Wage loss – both now and in the future
Funeral costs
Loss of consortium – love, companionship, mentoring, etc.
Financial support

A knowledgeable Florida Wrongful Death Lawyer will know how to properly investigate the accident and gather the testimony and evidence required to establish the cause of death and pinpoint who is responsible. It can be difficult to think about these things when you are mourning the loss of a loved one, but it is essential to take immediate action. Our Florida Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are sensitive, knowledgeable, and experienced in dealing with the legalities of defending your rights amid such a trying time.

There is no cost to you to hire one of our wrongful death attorneys because we work on a contingency fee basis. We do not get paid unless we have helped you win a settlement or verdict. Continue reading

October 4, 2023

News: Citrus County man killed by hit-and-run driver on US 441

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – State troopers said a pedestrian died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in Alachua County Sunday morning.

A report by Main Street Daily News states the victim was a 26-year-old man from Floral City in Citrus County. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the man was walking along US Highway 441 at about 3:30 a.m. when he was hit by a vehicle and killed.

The driver involved was reported to have fled the scene heading south toward Micanopy and Marion County. The FHP described the vehicle being sought as a 2015-2020 dark gray Ford Mustang. On Monday afternoon, investigators said they had located the vehicle in Marion County and identified a person of interest.