Motorcyclist Killed by Wrong Way Driver
Florida State Police reported that one woman was killed recently while riding her motorcycle when a car drove the wrong way and crashed into her. The victim was identified as real estate realtor Claudia Alderman, 59, of Plant City and police arrested the driver of the other vehicle, identified as Osbaldo Campos, 21, of Dover.
According to the police, they observed Mr. Campos approximately one mile before the accident took place. An officer saw him going the wrong way down Reynolds St. in Plant City and twice attempted to get Mr. Campos to pull over. At one point, the officer even tried to pull up alongside him, but Mr. Campos did not stop. He then slammed into Ms. Alderman, who was traveling the correct direction down the street.
The results of this accident were devastating. The front of the two-door Nissan was practically shorn in half, and the front wheel of the motorcycle was barely hanging on. “The laws of physics don’t bode well for folks on motorcycles when they are going in the same direction,” said a sergeant with the Plant City Police Department. “Let alone in a head-on situation.”
More than 12 hours later, wreckage from the accident was still littered on the street at the intersection of Baker and Mobley St. where the crash took place. Mr. Campos was arrested and charged with disobeying an officer. However, more charges are expected as the investigation wraps up, including charges of driving under the influence, vehicular homicide, and more.
Florida Wrong Way Accidents
Between 2003 and 2012, there were a total of 1,173 wrong way accidents on the roads in Florida. Of those, 1,322 people were injured and another 164 victims were killed. According to the Florida Department of Transportation, more than 50 percent of all wrong way accidents involve an intoxicated driver behind the wheel. In addition, the department found that the majority of wrong way accidents take place at night or in the very early morning hours and that most of these types of crashes occur between Friday night and Monday morning.
While the chances of a wrong way accident occurring are much lower than other types of traffic accidents, the rates of injury and death are much higher. This is typically because two vehicles are hitting each other head-on at a high rate of speed. In wrong way accidents involving a car and a motorcycle, the motorcyclist almost always ends up with severe injuries or dies as a result of the crash. Such was the case with Mr. Campo and Ms. Alderman, who was declared dead at the scene.
Call a Florida Accident Lawyer Today
If you have been involved in a car accident in Florida, don’t hesitate to reach out to the experienced personal injury lawyers at The Pendas Law Firm. Our skilled lawyers will help you recover the compensation you deserve for any and all damages you incurred.
