Pickup Truck Hits Two Motorcycles and Kills Four People in Bushnell, Florida
A pickup truck driver hit two motorcycles carrying four people head-on killing all of them in an accident in Bushnell, Sumter County, Florida (which is about two and a half hours southwest of Jacksonville, Florida), according to an article on News4Jax.com. Apparently, Paul Sermons, the pickup truck driver, was trying to pass another vehicle when he moved into the oncoming lane and struck the motorcyclists. It is not clear if Mr. Sermons will be criminally charged for the accident.
When we handle personal injury or wrongful death cases involving motorcycles, it seems like the causes are very similar- car and truck drivers not paying enough attention to other vehicles, particularly motorcycles. Mr. Sermons apparently told the Florida Highway Patrol officer that he did not realize how close he was to the motorcycles when he decided to pass the vehicle in front of him. In a personal injury or wrongful death case involving such an accident, that is no defense for causing the accident. Passing another vehicle on a two lane road is very dangerous under any circumstances. If a driver chooses to take the risk and pass the vehicle, it is up to him/her to be certain that it is safe and there is plenty of time to make the pass. If a person decides to pass on a two lane road and an accident with an oncoming vehicle results, it is almost certain that liability for the crash and the resulting injuries or death(s) will be attributed to the driver of the vehicle who initiated the pass and created the dangerous situation.
