A Lady Lake woman is set to spend the next three years behind bars as part of a plea deal stemming from a 2022 hit-and-run accident.
The 32-year-old woman recently pleaded no contest to charges of leaving the scene of an accident involving death and leaving the scene of an accident involving serious injury, Village-News reports.
She was behind the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee sport utility vehicle that mowed down two people walking along Rolling Acres Road in September 2022. One woman was killed in the collision, while the man with whom she was walking suffered serious injuries.
The Lady Lake woman fled the scene of the crash and later told her insurance company that she had struck a deer, according to Villages-News. Cops caught up with her, thanks to an anonymous tip that the vehicle involved in the accident was in the parking lot of her apartment complex. A blood sample taken from the car matched that of the woman who died in the collision.
The woman was arrested nearly eight months after the accident.
More than 104,000 hit-and-run crashes occur across Florida every year, killing nearly 300 people and injuring many others, according to data from Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. hit-and-run accidents account for about a quarter of all crashes statewide.
Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable in these and other crashes. That is especially true during overnight hours when visibility is low and in situations in which pedestrians are in places not specifically designated for foot traffic.
More than 10,000 pedestrian accidents occurred last year throughout Florida, killing some 765 people across the state.
Florida law requires motorists involved in crashes involving property damage, physical injury or death to stop at the scene and report the collision to police.
Legal Rights for People Injured in Accidents
Anyone who is injured in a car, golf cart, motorcycle or other traffic accident in Florida has the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the crash.
When a person is killed in an accident in Florida, his or her loved ones have the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the crash.
That includes compensation for financial losses associated with the accident, as well as for loss of support, love and companionship and for pain and suffering in some cases.
No amount of money can ever allow you to go back in time and stop an accident from happening. Compensation can, however, help ease some of the financial strain that often comes with losing a loved one.
Speak With a Villages Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, it is vital to seek the advice of an experienced injury attorney. Villages accident attorney Tim Babiarz has been fighting for people and families across the community for more than two decades.
Our office is conveniently located in the Villages. We are also proud to represent clients 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 attorney.
