What began as a car accident quickly turned into a more serious situation. This past weekend, a Florida man was killed after being hit by three cars after he ran into traffic. Investigators are still searching for two of the vehicles that were involved in the man’s wrongful death.
When the Florida Highway Patrol arrived at the accident scene, they found that the man’s car hit another vehicle and then crashed into the median. Both cars sustained damage in the accident. The rescue workers that responded to the scene tried to see if the man was alright, only to have him run from them and into traffic.
After running into the road, at least three vehicles hit him. The first two vehicles kept driving, but the third stopped. According to the report, the driver who stopped is not facing any charges. The same cannot be said for the other two drivers who fled the accident scene.
Investigators still do not know why the man ran away from the responders. It could have been because he had previous traffic violations on his record, including a DUI conviction and driving with a suspended license. Perhaps he did not want another traffic violation for this specific car crash.
Whatever the reason, the man was still killed. The article even notes that more than three vehicles may have struck him; investigators do not know for sure at this point. No doubt the family of the man has been affected by his death. They may be wondering: was there any way to prevent his death? Could the drivers have seen him before they hit him? Why didn’t they stop to see if he was alright?
If the investigators find the other vehicles that struck the man, they will hopefully also discover whether the drivers were negligently driving at the time of impact. Were the drivers distracted by their phones? Had they been intoxicated at the time? If it can be shown that the drivers were negligent, the man’s family could collect compensation for his death. It won’t bring him back, but it can help them move forward with their lives.
Source: Miami Herald online, “Man killed running across Interstate 95,” James H. Burnett III, 13 December 2010
