A recent Miami-area car accident claimed the life of a 5-year old boy. A head-on collision, the crash occurred just before 8:00 a.m. on Campbell Drive, near Southwest 152nd Avenue in Homestead. Involving three cars, the car accident came about when a pickup truck made a left turn onto Southwest 152nd and struck the back of a four-door sedan.
The young boy was a passenger in the sedan, as the pickup forced it into the oncoming lane, causing the head-on crash. Although the young child was seat-belted, he was in the front passenger seat and not in a booster seat in the rear of the vehicle. The 5-year-old was airlifted to Miami Children’s Hospital, but it was too late. Sadly, he did not make it.
The sedan driver, the boy’s great aunt, age 75, had to be airlifted to Kendall Regional Medical Center and is currently in critical condition. She was babysitting the young boy for the day. The driver of the other vehicle in the head-on crash also was airlifted to Kendall Regional Medical Center in critical condition.
The woman driving the pickup truck, the cause of the tragedy, was charged with three felonies. Failure to yield right-of-way and driving without a valid driver’s license are additional charges. The felony charges are related to the child’s death and the seriousness of the personal injuries suffered by the two adult drivers. Ironically, the female driver of the pickup truck was not injured.
Car accidents can inflict deadly consequences, without criminal intent. Unfortunately, the results can be identical to a premeditated violent crime. What is your opinion on this tragedy and the charges filed against the pickup driver?
Source: The Miami Herald, “5-year-old boy killed, woman jailed in Homestead crash,” David Smiley, April 23, 2012