Highway 27 Crash Kills One Person in Haines City

A deadly chain reaction accident involving two passenger vehicles and two semi-trucks occurred in front of the Walgreens at the intersection of U.S. HIghway 27 and Old Polk City Road.  This accident is reported to have occurred when a Jeep changed lanes and got behind a silver sedan that was stopped.  Immediately thereafter, it appears that a semi-truck driven by Jose Fernandez Santos struck the rear end of the Jeep and pushing the sedan and the Jeep into another semi-truck.  This accident is still under investigation.  Frank Everett Reid was the driver of the Jeep and was killed in the accident.  Other people involved in the crash include Charles Earl Reberry, Luton Anthony McKenzie, and Andrew Jimenez with two children.

The Ledger reported that the witness who described the accident said that the Jeep "cut" into the middle lane from the left lane shortly before the accident.  The word "cut" when used to describe someone's driving usually carries a negative connotation.  At this point, I am unable to tell whether the witness intended such a connotation or whether such word choice was completely innocent.  Notwithstanding, it appears that other evidence leads to the conclusion that the semi-truck was going to strike the sedan at a relatively high rate of speed regardless of whether the Jeep changed lanes or not.  Other evidence seems to indicate that the truck driver was looking down and never applied the brakes prior to impact.  Therefore, under such circumstances it seems fortuitous that the stopped silver sedan had the Jeep pull directly behind it.  Further, it also appears unfortunate that Mr. Reid changed lanes but it does not appear that anything Mr. Reid did to cause the accident because the other evidence indicates that the semi-truck wasn't going to stop for anything because the truck driver appeared to be distracted.  Distracted driving is the cause of a lot of accidents and a lot of unnecessary injuries on the roadways.  The consequences of distracted driving are even more severe when driving a heavy semi-truck.  The lawyers of Moody Law are located in Polk County, Florida to assist people who have been injured in accidents.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, please contact a Polk County truck accident or wrongful death lawyer for a free consultation.  Trucking accident cases involve aspects that are significantly different from car accident cases.  Truck drivers and their employers are subject to a number of laws applicable to the increased danger or hazards of driving large, heavy vehicles.