A Jupiter police officer was taken to an area hospital in serious condition after a collision on I-95. The car crash was said to have been caused by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel. The 34-year-old police officer was leaving the county jail at the time of the accident.
According to authorities, the accident occurred on the northbound side of I-95 just beyond the Military Trail exit. The 30-year-old driver was traveling north when he purportedly fell asleep at the wheel. He hit a concrete barrier wall and then swerved into the path of the police vehicle. The two cars collided and the officer’s patrol car overturned and then crashed into a tree. The police car came to rest on the shoulder of the highway.
The officer was taken to a hospital and is said to be in serious condition, although exact details of his condition and his prognosis are unknown. The driver who caused the accident was not injured in the crash. There is no word on whether charges will be filed against him in connection with the collision. In cases in which drivers fall asleep at the wheel, it is possible that reckless driving or other criminal charges could be filed; it is also possible that authorities will choose not to charge the driver.
Victims who are injured by those who cause a serious car accident may be entitled to recover monetary damages from these drivers. A personal injury attorney may represent victims who have been injured in a car accident. These victims may file a personal injury lawsuit in order to attempt to collect payments for medical bills and treatment costs, disabilities caused by the accident, pain and mental anguish, lost earnings due to recovery time and even punitive damages in some cases.
Source: WPTV, “Jupiter police officer, jason starks, released from hospital after car crash”, WPTV web team, June 02, 2013