Police believe a man involved in a serious accident on a Morse Boulevard bridge may have been driving under the influence at the time of the crash.
The driver, a 39-year-old Villages resident, was flown by helicopter to Ocala Regional Medical Center with serious injuries following the collision. He reportedly was driving in the wrong direction in the northbound lane of Morse Boulevard when his car slammed head-on into another vehicle.
Police told Villages-News they are waiting on the results of a blood sample of the Villages man to determine if he was under the influence at the time. A Pennsylvania couple in the other vehicle, a rental car, somehow escaped with minor injuries.
Nearly 14,000 crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs occur across the state every year, killing some 800 people, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
It is not just people traveling in cars who are at risk. An Illinois woman died in a March accident in The Villages in which she fell from a golf cart. The vehicle’s driver, a 58-year-old resident of the Village of Rio Ponderosa, was charged with DUI manslaughter. The woman was ejected from the vehicle when the driver swerved suddenly, according to a police report.
Injured in a DUI Accident? Know Your Rights
Anyone who has been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver has the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the crash.
The money damages typically available in these cases include compensation for doctor’s bills, missed wages during recuperation, property damage, and other consequences of the crash. In some cases, additional punitive damages may also be awarded to punish particularly reckless behavior behind the wheel.
In the tragic event that a person dies in a DUI or other accident, certain family members can similarly seek to hold those to blame responsible by bringing a wrongful death claim. Florida law allows grieving family members to seek compensation for the loss of the deceased person’s earnings and companionship, as well as for mental anguish and suffering, medical and funeral expenses.
No amount of money will ever allow you to go back in time and stop a fatal accident from happening. Compensation can, however, help ease some of the financial burden that often comes with losing a loved one.
Speak With a Villages Injury Attorney
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.
