A multivehicle accident on the Howard Franklin Bridge in St. Petersburg led to the death of a 61-year-old man April 14. The accident reportedly occurred when a 31-year-old woman swerved to avoid a furniture dolly that was in the middle of the road. That led her to crash into a recreational vehicle, which then hit the victim’s Ford pickup truck.
The truck overturned and the man suffered fatal injuries, even though he was wearing his seatbelt at the time.
It had been a rough few weeks for commuters at the Howard Franklin Bridge. On April 5, a rollover crash closed three lanes on the bridge, and just before that, there was a brush fire that closed a nearby interchange.
For now, accident investigators have not determined why the dolly was in the road in the first place. If that was indeed what led to the chain-reaction crash, the individual or entity responsible for dropping the dolly on the highway. The most likely scenario was that it fell off a truck after not being secured properly.
In general, it can be difficult to pinpoint fault when a multivehicle accident occurs, as there may be more than one party who was to blame. Investigators often experience difficulties finding who or what made the initial mistake leading to the crash.
If you have been involved in a Florida car wreck, you may need the assistance of a skilled attorney to help you seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages. To learn more about your options, speak with a knowledgeable Bradenton car accident attorney at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.