A multi-vehicle accident in Sarasota on I-75 resulted in three deaths and another critical injury.
According to representatives from the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash occurred just after 7:00 a.m. on Monday, March 9 a little north of the Fruitville Road interchange. After the accident, authorities had to shut down the right and center lanes of the interstate on the northbound side, causing hours-long traffic delays.
Two of the vehicles involved in the accident were parked (legally) on the interstate’s paved shoulder. The drivers were changing a flat tire, when suddenly they were struck by a Dodge Dakota. One of these drivers, a 56-year-old man from Cape Coral, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other was a 53-year-old Cape Coral man who sustained critical injuries and was transported for care at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
The 34-year-old driver of the Dakota from Sarasota also died as a result of the accident, as did a 50-year-old Sarasota man who was driving a cement truck that became involved in the accident. Several other passenger vehicles got involved in the accident after the initial condition, with one driver suffering serious injuries, another suffering minor injuries and another walking away uninjured.
The shoulder should be a safe space
People who have pulled over to the shoulder on a highway should not have to fear being hit by passing traffic. The shoulder is far enough off the side of the road that reasonably careful drivers should have no problem avoiding people who have parked their vehicles. Drivers who swerve off the shoulder at high speeds are being reckless and will almost certainly be held liable for injuries or deaths in any accident they cause.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to hold a driver responsible following an accident that caused you injury, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.