Freak accident kills Canadian motorcycling couple

On Behalf of | Mar 7, 2014 | Motorcycle Accidents |

Accidents involving motorcycles frequently have tragic results around the country, including in Florida. Because motorcycles offer less protection to their riders than cars do with seatbelts and other safety features, riding a bike is always more dangerous than driving a car.

In one unfortunate incident recently, a spool of electrical wire that fell from a cargo truck’s storage bay struck a motorcycle and killed both riders, a couple from Quebec, Canada. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the victims – a 58-year-old man and 54-year-old woman – were traveling on State Road 415 near Sanford shortly before noon when the spool of wire fell from the truck and struck the couple’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which ejected both riders from the motorcycle. The motorcycle caught fire; the couple died at the scene.

Highway Patrol officers said they found the truck that had been carrying the spool when the accident happened. The driver, a 46-year-old Daytona Beach resident, said he did not know that the spool had fallen from his truck on S.R. 415. He returned to the scene a couple of hours after the accident, according to an FHP spokesperson. Charges may be pending as authorities continue their investigation.

This motorcycle accident was not caused by a collision with other vehicle, but by an object that fell off a truck, which means that the truck owner, the truck driver or both could be held liable for not properly securing the spool in the first place. Surviving family members of the victims should follow the FHP traffic investigation closely and gather any necessary evidence that could be used in filing a claim.

Wrongful death lawsuits can be filed in similar cases when negligence is determined to be the main contributing factor. Financial losses incurred as a result of an accident can be compensated through this type of lawsuit.

Source: WESH Orlando, “Spool of electrical wire causes fatal Seminole County crash,” Bob Kealing, Feb. 18, 2014

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attorneys Brad Culpepper and Brett J. Kurland