A former New York City police officer recently landed in the clink in Sumter County after crashing her golf cart in The Villages.
Local cops found the 55-year-old Village of Amelia woman splayed out in the street near her home around 9 p.m. on a recent Thursday, according to Villages-News. The woman, who was bleeding from her head and suffered bruises on her face, told officers she lost control of the vehicle and fell out of it while taking a turn too fast. She was not wearing a seat belt at the time.
She also admitted to getting behind the wheel after drinking. The woman “said she had gone to dinner at Havana Country Club and had been drinking,” Villages-News reports. “There were several indications she had been driving impaired,” according to the news outlet.
The woman, who refused blood testing, was charged with driving under the influence. She was released from Sumter County Detention Center after posting a $1,000 bond.
Booze and Golf Carts Are a Deadly Mix
Getting behind the wheel while impaired is a reckless decision that puts the safety of everyone on the road at risk. Alcohol slows drivers’ reaction time and clouds their decision-making.
Impaired drivers who hit the road in golf carts without buckling up compound the risks. Seat belts protect drivers and passengers from being ejected from their golf carts, one of the most common causes of injury or death in golf cart collisions.
Ejections can cause painful, debilitating, and even fatal injuries when people are thrown from a vehicle to the ground below with little or no advance warning and nothing to soften the blow.
Last year, for example, an Illinois woman died after falling from a golf cart passenger seat. She was thrown from the vehicle when the driver swerved to avoid hitting a parked car. Three weeks later, a Villages woman suffered traumatic injuries after falling from a golf cart near Big Cypress Recreation Center, Villages-News reports.
Legal Rights for People Hurt in DUI Golf Cart Crashes
Anyone who has been injured in a golf cart crash caused by a drunk driver has the legal right to seek compensation from the driver, as well as his or her insurer and others responsible for the collision.
The money damages available in these cases generally include compensation for doctors’ bills and property damage, as well as missed wages and any long-term impact on earning capacity. Additional punitive damages, intended to punish those responsible for the crash, may also be awarded in cases involving particularly reckless behavior.
In the tragic case that a person dies in a golf cart collision, his or her loved ones have the right to seek similar compensation for wrongful death.
How a Villages Golf Cart Accident Attorney Can Help
If you or a loved one has been injured in a golf cart, car, truck, motorcycle, or other accident, it is vital to seek the advice of an experienced lawyer. Villages golf cart 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 golf cart accident attorney.
