West Melbourne –On Sunday, October 7th at 11:33 a.m. on Eber Boulevard at Coventry Circle, a 22-year-old man was driving a 2000 Dodge SUV and was attempting to pass the vehicle in front of him. As he attempted to pass the other vehicle, his Dodge slammed into an oncoming 1994 Plymouth passenger sized car.
According to police, the passenger inside the Plymouth, a West Melbourne man, later died as a result of his injuries at Holmes Regional Medical Center. The driver of the Plymouth survived; he was hospitalized with minor injuries. According to officials, the driver of the Dodge had been involved in two other collisions prior to the fatal accident.
Earlier that morning, a resident of Landmark at Ocean Breeze Apartments had called the police and reported that they had observed a driver striking multiple vehicles in the parking lot, said Melbourne Police Lt. Byron Barnes.
The driver of the Dodge SUV had pulled out of the parking lot onto Palm Bay Road, then headed west and collided with a vehicle at the neighboring Dairy Road intersection, said Lt. Barnes. Afterward, the man drove north on Dairy road, turned westbound on Eber Boulevard and was involved in the fatal head-on collision.
The 22-year-old driver is now facing charges for driving under the influence (DUI), driving without a license, and hit and run. According to prosecutors, the driver of the Dodge may not be a citizen and therefore asked for additional time to gather information regarding the case. A Brevard judge said that the man suspected of drunk driving in the collision that killed the 91-year-old man will be held in jail without bond.
According to Sgt. Kim Montes, a spokeswoman for the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the Dodge registered a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.223% after the accidents. The legal limit in Florida and across the nation is .08% for drivers over the age of 21.
At High Stack Gordon Kirby, we deal with all types of injuries that are associated with negligent drivers. We have extensive experience helping the victims of drunk driving accidents and in representing the family members of those that have lost their life in a fatal car accident. Even in cases where our clients were injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver there are still legal remedies that can be pursued to provide financial compensation. With over 50 years serving Brevard County, we are one of the oldest and most accomplished law firms in the area; please give us a call today to discuss your options.