Three Motorcycle Accidents Cause Injuries, Fatalities
Michael Babboni
Motorcycle Accidents
In one week, the Tampa Bay region saw three serious motorcycle accidents that caused two fatalities and left one man in the hospital fighting for his life. These accidents highlight the importance of motorcycle safety in Florida, especially in light of a AAA safety report released earlier this month, showing motorcycle accidents in Florida have risen 23%.The first accident, occurred around 7:30 pm on Thursday, May 20, 2016 on Causeway Boulevard in Tampa. The fatal accident took the life of 23 year old Tampa resident Jonathan Davila and left motorist Nadine Williams suffering from minor injuries.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Williams was driving her 2015 Toyota Corolla west on Causeway Boulevard. Davila, riding a Suzuki motorcycle, was approaching Williams from the opposite direction, heading east.
At the intersection of Causeway Boulevard and Darlington Drive, Williams took a left turn where her sedan impacted Davila’s motorcycle. Police arrived at the scene of the accident to find Davila had died on impact. Williams was taken to the hospital for her injuries.
The police have yet to determine who was at fault for the collision and potential charges are pending further investigation into the cause of the accident.
The second accident occurred a week later on the night of March 26, 2016 on Shoal Boulevard in Spring Hill, Hernando County. The accident claimed the life of Randy Dale Gainey, a 58 year old resident of North Carolina.
Gainey, who was in town visiting from Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, was driving a 2003 American motorcycle east on Shoal Line Boulevard near Erin Road around 9:50 pm. Gainey failed to accurately navigate the curve in the road and braked as his motorcycle drove east over the paved apron. The motorcycle then hit the grass shoulder and overturned. The force of the impact propelled the motorcycle to rolled again, throwing Gainey into the street. The motorcycle ultimately crashed in a road sign.
Gainey, who was not wearing a helmet at the time, died from impact with the road on the first roll. Florida State Troopers are still unsure why Gainey failed to correctly navigate the curve, but that he died immediately on impact.
The third accident also occurred on Thursday night May 26, 2016. The accident happened along Interstate-75, has left a 33 year old Tampa resident, Shaun Christopher Harris in the hospital in critical condition.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, around 6:30 pm, Harris was riding South on the I-75 access road in merge lane toward the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway. Directly in front of Harris, Melinda Sue McRay, a 26 year old Seffner resident, was also heading south on the access road in the merge lane in a Hyundai Santa Fe sedan.
The accident occurred when McRae, responding to slowing traffic, braked ahead of Harris. Harris failed to respond to McRae’s breaking in time and skidded into McRae, rear ending her vehicle.
Harris suffered critical injuries from the collision and was immediately rushed to the Tampa General Hospital for treatment. Harris was wearing a helmet, but was cited by the police for careless driving. Harris remains in critical condition.
These three accidents are unfortunately common in the state of Florida. The report released by AAA earlier in May found that Florida had the highest incidents of motorcycle fatalities in the United States. The report shows that the fatalities are a result of the repeal of the helmet law. The controversial findings have sparked a renewed interest in motorcycle safety leading the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles ramp up their local motorcycle safety campaigns, focusing on helmet use.