Monthly Archives: May 2011

Teen Driver had Alcohol in his System in Fatal Sarasota Car Crash

Posted on May 31, 2011 by The Gerber Law Group, P.A.

An earlier blog post detailed the fatal March automobile accident that claimed the lives of four teenagers in Sarasota. At the time, the teen driver was driving 99 mph when his SUV jumped a curb, struck a brick wall and killed him and his three passengers. The posted speed limit on the road was 30 mph. All four teens died of blunt trauma in the March 13 car crash. Last week, autopsy results showed that the 19-year-old driver had a small amount of alcohol in his system when the crash occurred. His alcohol blood level ranged from .01 to .03, according to authorities. The legal limit in Florida is .08 percent. The range of the test results depends on whether the test came from blood or urine, according to authorities. Two of the passengers in the SUV also had alcohol in their system, although authorities did not release those test…
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Car and Motorcycle Collide in Sarasota

Posted on May 30, 2011 by The Gerber Law Group, P.A.

A car and motorcycle collided last week in Sarasota on Clark Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). At approximately 8 p.m., the 66-year-old motorcyclist from Safety Harbor was approaching the intersection of Lockwood Ridge Road when a Mercedes made a left turn in front of him. The motorcycle struck the right rear of the Mercedes. According to the FHP, the 48-year-old Mercedes driver did not see the motorcycle before she made the left turn from the eastbound lanes of Clark Road. After the motorcycle accident, emergency responders airlifted the motorcyclist to the Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. The motorcycle rider was wearing a helmet, according to the FHP. Doctors at Bayfront Medical Center listed the motorcyclist in fair condition as of last week. The FHP cited the Mercedes driver for violating the motorcyclist’s right of way by making the left-hand turn. Inattentive automobile drivers do not always…
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Eight-Year-Old Sarasota Girl Struck and Killed by Car

Posted on May 27, 2011 by The Gerber Law Group, P.A.

An 8-year-old Sarasota girl died after running in front of a car last Monday on U.S. 41 near Marbeth Street. She was with her uncle when they were walking to a grocery store at approximately 8:45 p.m. The girl suddenly ran onto U.S. 41 in front of a car traveling northbound. The girl’s mother heard the accident and ran to the accident scene. Emergency responders rushed her to Sarasota Memorial Hospital where she died from her injuries. The 49-year-old driver of the car that hit her was not at fault, according to Sarasota police. The girl’s mother said she never allowed her daughter to cross the street or play outside without an adult. She thinks her daughter miscalculated the traffic when crossing the road. The victim attended Gulf Gate Elementary. She has three surviving siblings, ages 4, 3 and 4 months, respectively. Pedestrians are no match for a car, even…
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Port Charlotte Woman Indicted in Fatal Car-Motorcycle Collision

Posted on May 26, 2011 by The Gerber Law Group, P.A.

A grand jury indicted at 26-year-old Port Charlotte woman last week in connection with a 2009 car-motorcycle accident that killed a 44-year-old woman. In October 2009, the defendant was driving an SUV and turned left into the oncoming motorcycle’s path. The motorcycle struck the SUV and ejected the victim. Emergency responders pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Police originally cited the defendant with failure to yield, but they added a vehicular homicide charge after the results of her toxicology tests. In addition to relaxants, she had the opiate Oxycodone and the sleep aid benzodiazepine in her system, according to court records. Prosecutors said it was enough to make her a dangerous driver. The grand jury indicted the woman on four counts of vehicular homicide, four counts of driving under the influence and one count of reckless driving. She will appear in Jackson County Superior Court in June for an…
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