Pedestrian Fatality in Palm Bay: Teen and Father Charged
Authorities recently criminally charged a teen and his father in connection with a hit-and-run incident resulting in a pedestrian fatality. The incident occurred in Palm Bay, located in Brevard County on Florida’s East Coast. According to Fox 35 Orlando, the teen was driving more than three times the speed limit at the time of the accident. The teen was going 94 mph, on a street with a limit of 30 mph, when he struck the 23-year old pedestrian. After the accident, the teen fled the scene. His father later returned and falsely claimed to the police that he was driving when the car hit the pedestrian. However, video evidence showed that the teen was actually the driver. Police charged the teenager with leaving the scene of an accident involving death and vehicular manslaughter. They charged his father with providing false information to the police.
Residents in the neighborhood told the media that drivers often race down the street at excessive speeds. The street is long and straight, which leads to frequent speeding. Many residents walk in the evenings with their children, which increases the risk of accidents like this one.
Florida Law on Leaving the Scene of an Accident
Florida law imposes strict requirements on motorists involved in an accident, especially when it results in someone injured or killed. If an accident results in injury or death, the driver must stop at the scene (or as close as possible). They also must provide reasonable assistance to anyone needing medical help, and immediately report the crash to the local police or sheriff’s office. The teenager in the Palm Bay incident failed to fulfill any of these obligations.
The penalties for not following these procedures are severe. If the crash results in injury, a fleeing driver can be charged with a third-degree felony, which carries penalties of up to 5 years in prison, 5 years of probation, and a $5,000 fine. If the crash results in death, the driver faces up to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of four years, and a $10,000 fine. Additionally, the state revokes the driver’s license for at least three years in all hit-and-run cases involving death or injury. Since the Palm Bay hit-and-run accident resulted in a pedestrian fatality, the teen driver could face imprisonment. Police may charge him as a minor however, due to his age (17). His father faces a first-degree misdemeanor charge for providing false information to the police.
Contact Schwed, Adams & McGinley
Hit-and-run accidents in Florida are more common than many people realize. Accidents involving a pedestrian fatality have wide-reaching effects. At Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A., our experienced personal injury attorneys have over 200 years of combined experience representing victims of various motor vehicle accidents, including hit-and-run incidents. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a hit-and-run accident, contact the skilled personal injury attorneys at Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A. today at 877-694-6079 or contact@schwedlawfirm.com for a free consultation.