The Florida Highway Patrol was tasked with investigating a fatal accident that killed a 38-year-old Port Richey woman as a possible DUI manslaughter case. They said that another vehicle that was driven by a 21-year-old man, also of Port Richey, rear-ended the woman’s vehicle on northbound U.S. 19 in Holiday. The affected area of U.S. 19 was closed for approximately five hours as crews worked to clear debris from the road.
The car accident happened at around 3:15 a.m. Nov. 11 in the Moog Road area. The accused driver’s Mazda Miata was traveling at an estimated speed of more than 100 mph when he failed to slow down or avoid the woman’s 2000 Kia Sephia and ran into the back of it near Eastwood Lane.
Troopers said that the force of the impact caused the woman’s car to travel across the median and catch fire when it came to a stop in the southbound lanes. EMS transported her to Trinity Medical Center where she later died from her injuries. Authorities booked the man into Pasco County jail on charges of marijuana possession with more charges pending the outcome of toxicology tests.
When a loved one dies suddenly in a car crash, it can devastate the family members left behind. Losing a source household income can also cause severe financial distress. Although no amount of money can replace a loved one, a successful wrongful death claim might compensate a grieving family for lost wages, emotional distress and loss of companionship.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, “Driver dies after being rear-ended in fiery U.S. 19 crash,” Nov. 11, 2013
Source: WFTS, “US19 closed, DUI suspected in fatal crash”, November 11, 2013