Drivers who speed off after causing accidents in The Villages are having little success outrunning the law.
An Ocala woman was popped by cops on Dec. 1 for a hit and run crash on Buena Vista Boulevard at County Road 466A, Villages-News reports. The 36-year-old woman reportedly had driven off after rear-ending another vehicle with her pickup truck.
“Both drivers initially indicated they would be pulling over, but the driver of the vehicle which caused the rear-end collision, a blue 2005 Florida F-150 pickup, fled the scene,” according to Villages-News. “The driver whose vehicle had been struck managed to take a photo of the F-150 as it drove away, capturing an image of the license plate.”
Police officers later spotted the truck on County Road 108 at U.S. 301 and pulled the woman over. She was arrested and charged with a felony for hit and run, as well as a misdemeanor charge of driving on a suspended license. The woman’s license reportedly had been suspended years earlier for failure to pay traffic fines.
A Villages resident reportedly was arrested a week earlier for his role in a separate hit and run. The 77-year-old man, who lives in the Village of Chatham, fled after slamming his car into a retaining wall on Buena Vista Boulevard near the roundabout bypass at Hendry Drive. A person in another vehicle who witnessed the accident called police and continued to follow the man until he was pulled over.
Injured in a Hit and Run Crash? Know Your Rights
More than 100,000 hit and run accidents happen across the Sunshine State each year, according to data from Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. More than 200 people are killed in these accidents statewide each year. The majority of the deaths are pedestrians and bicyclists.
Anyone who is injured in a car accident in Florida has the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the crash, including negligent drivers and their insurers. Hit and run crashes can be more difficult to prove because it may require tracking down the driver who fled after the collision and proving that he or she was behind the wheel.
The money damages available in Florida car accident cases typically covers current and future medical expenses, as well as missed wages while recuperating and long-term impact on the person’s ability to make a living are all on the table. Additional punitive damages may also be awarded in some cases involving particularly reckless behavior.
How a Villages Injury Attorney Can Help
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car, truck, motorcycle, golf cart or other accident, it is vital to seek the advice of an experienced lawyer. Villages injury 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 injury attorney.
