Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Jacksonville Drowning of Mother and Child in Community Pool

A young Jacksonville mother and her child were found drowned this week and there are many unanswered questions.

The 18-year-old mother and her 18-month-old daughter were found just after noon in a subdivision community pool in Arlington, according to articles in the Florida Times Union. The pool area is usually locked. The woman was said to be an accomplished swimmer. An unidentified 18-year-old man was found at the scene and hospitalized. He had reportedly ingested a great deal of chlorinated pool water and appeared in shock and was naked. Investigators will be anxious to talk to him to determine if there was any foul play in this Jacksonville Wrongful Death Accident.

See the Florida Times Union's most recent article here:

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/crime/2009-07-10/story/homicide_detectives_still_waiting_to_talk_to_jacksonville_man_foun

Florida leads the nation in the number of drowning accidents of children between the ages of one to four. In 2006, there were 72 drowning deaths of children under the age of four. Duval County is among the counties with the highest number of drowning deaths, according to state statistics.

Some neighbors, who are still in shock, wonder if lightning might have struck nearby. July is the deadliest month for lightning strikes in Florida and we are reminded that lightning strikes can precede a storm. Already this year, two people in Central Florida have been killed by lightning. It happened at a picnic in Lakeland, Florida where the conditions were described as sunny with a slight drizzle.

Having gone through the loss of a niece who was the same age my heart goes out to the family.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Florida Highway Fatalities Drop to Eight-Year Low July 17, 2009 10:23 AM

TALLAHASSEE, FL -- Good news from Florida's highways...education and law enforcement efforts are combining to keep Florida drivers alive at a better rate than in years past.The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) reports traffic fatalities in Florida during 2008 dropped over 7% from 2007, meaning there were 2,983 fatalities in 2008.This is the third consecutive year of a decrease in traffic fatalities, and marks the first time there have been fewer than 3,000 in Florida since 2000.Alcohol-related fatalities decreased 6%. Despite that, drinking and driving contributed to nearly 40% of traffic fatalities.Fatalities of teen drivers and passengers decreased by 22.5% during the same time span as well.Motorcycle fatalities decreased 3.3%, while pedestrian fatalities decreased 5.3%."While these statistics are influenced by various factors, including economic conditions, increased safety of vehicles, and fewer vehicles on the road, it is also a testament to the work of the many safety partners in our state who share this responsibility with us," says DHSMV Executive director Electra Theodorides-Bustle.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Jacksonville 20-year-old was killed and three others hospitalized

The following story from the Florida Times Union is both sad and tragic. The story illustrates just how quickly life changes and serves as a reminder just how fragile life really is. It is during times like these that strong family bonds coupled with the expertise of a personal injury lawyer like Brett Hastings can help a family to try and pick up the pieces and move forward.  The Times Union reported:

A Jacksonville 20-year-old was killed and three others hospitalized Sunday in a St. Johns County crash.

Two vehicles were involved in the 9:30 p.m. wreck on Florida 207 at New Hampshire Road in Elkton, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Two people were flown to Shands Jacksonville and one was taken to Flagler Hospital, said Jeff Prevatt, deputy operations chief for St. Johns County Fire Rescue.

An FHP report said David Khachatourov was driving a Mazda north on 207 when the car crossed over the concrete median and struck another vehicle heading south. Khachatourov was thrown from the Mazda and pronounced dead at the scene. Khachatourov, 20, had not been wearing a seat belt, authorities said.

The other vehicle in the collsion, a Saturn, was being driven by Casandra L. Sheridan, 26, of Crescent City. Sheridan had 5-year-old Romiah Henderson and 4-month-old Caden Sheridan in the car. All were hospitalized with serious injuries — Sheridan and Romiah were taken to Shands Jacksonville, Caden to Flagler Hospital. All were wearing seat belts, authorities said.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009