A Lady Lake man is facing a slew of criminal charges after fleeing the scene of a Citrus County crash that left another driver dead.
The 31-year-old Lady Lake resident was apprehended by cops after ditching his car at a nearby gas station and fleeing on foot in a pasture, Villages-News reports. Police believe that he was driving under the influence at the time of the crash.
The man was driving his Ford F-150 pickup truck “at a high rate of speed’ and passing other traffic on the shoulder of North Carl G. Rose Highway in Citrus County” when the collision occurred, according to the news outlet. “He merged back into traffic and collided with the rear of a Honda Accord, which was also traveling southbound,” Villages-News reports.
The Accord was reportedly sent across the roadway and slammed into a bridge rail before colliding with another pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction.
The Accord driver, a 62-year-old man, was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital. The man behind the wheel of the other pickup truck reportedly suffered minor injuries.
The Lady Lake man was charged with DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident with death, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and driving while license suspended with death.
Legal Rights for People Injured in Drunk Driving Accidents
Sadly, drinking and driving crashes are all too common across Florida.
More than 15,000 accidents involving alcohol and/or drugs occur statewide every year, killing some 800 people, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. That does not include the people who suffer serious and even life-changing injuries in these collisions.
Anyone who has been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver has the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the crash. That includes money for medical bills, missed wages during recuperation, property damage and other consequences of the crash.
To obtain compensation for your injuries, you have to be able to prove liability. Most Florida car accident cases are based on claims of negligence, a legal theory that holds people and entities liable when they do not meet a certain “duty of care.”
Drivers, for example, owe others on the road a duty to operate their vehicles in a reasonably safe manner to refrain from dangerous activity like getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. A driver who does not live up to this responsibility is likely to be deemed negligent and responsible for any collisions that happen as a result.
Talk with a Villages Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in an aggressive driving or other crash in Florida, Villages accident lawyer Tim Babiarz can help.
Our firm is pleased to represent clients in the Villages and throughout the area, including in Ocala, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Wildwood, Summerfield, and beyond. Call (352) 205-7559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Villages accident lawyer.
