A Villages man who recently moved to the community was killed in a tragic accident with a pickup truck towing a tractor-trailer.
The golf cart driver, a 58-year-old man who had just bought a home in The Villages, was driving on the path next to Meggison Road near Albatross Avenue in the Village of Citrus Grove at the time of the crash, Villages-News reports. He reportedly struck a curb, lost control of the golf cart, and was ejected.
A pickup truck driver on Meggison Road swerved to avoid a collision, but the tractor-trailer the truck was pulling struck the golf cart driver. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which Villages-News reports was still being investigated.
The man was a former New York City police officer and first responder in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. He “was the ultimate family man, everyone’s rock, and quite literally everyone’s best friend,” his family said in an obituary.
The tragedy came just months after another fatal golf cart accident in The Villages. A 75-year-old Maine man died in April after his golf cart collided with a sport utility vehicle on Morse Boulevard at Martinez Drive.
It is not clear whether the golf cart drivers were wearing seat belts in either crash.
More than 18,000 injuries from golf cart crashes are reported across the U.S. every year. In Sumter County alone, an average of nine people are killed annually in these crashes.
These kinds of crashes particularly are all too common in The Villages, where many residents use golf carts as their primary mode of transportation. More than 130 golf cart accidents happen in The Villages every year. Greater than a quarter (27%) of crashes that cause death or injury involve a person being ejected from a golf cart.
Anyone who is injured in a golf cart crash has the right to seek compensation from those responsible, including negligent drivers and their insurers. In the tragic case that a person dies in a golf cart collision, his or her loved ones can seek similar compensation through a wrongful death claim. No amount of money can ever replace a loved one, but compensation can help ease some of the financial strain that often accompanies these situations.
How a Villages Golf Cart Accident Lawyer 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 lawyer 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 lawyer.
