Police in St. Petersburg continue to search for the driver involved with a hit-and-run accident. During the early morning of Thursday, June 26, a Chrysler sedan sped in the wrong direction towards the intersection of 9th Avenue and 16th Street, colliding with a Saturn. According to investigators, the driver who allegedly caused the accident left the scene. Two women died in the crash while another passenger was flown to a nearby hospital to treat severe burns.
Cellphone video shows one vehicle involved in the car accident engulfed in flames while the other car was found unoccupied. Investigators have witness statements saying that the Chrysler was leaving a bar located on 1st Avenue South shortly before the accident. Efforts are still underway to identify the victims and the driver of the vehicle, and police spoke with the registered owner of the car in an attempt to determine who may have been driving it.
In this case, the families of the victims involved may wish to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit. A wrongful death suit may rely on allegations suggesting that a driver’s negligence contributed to the death of a victim. An attorney representing plaintiffs in such a claim may attempt to demonstrate the defendant’s negligence by citing the driver’s decision to leave the scene. That attorney might also seek evidence suggesting that impairment or distraction may have contributed to the accident.
If the lawsuit is successful, the plaintiffs might be awarded compensation for damages stemming from the crash. This might include funds that cover lost financial support or reimburse expenses associated with hospital, funeral and burial costs.
Source: WTSP, “2 killed, one hurt in fiery hit-and-run crash”, Shyann Malone, June 26, 2014
