According to the Lakeland Ledger, a 31 vehicle pileup occurred on September 27, 2009 at about 4:30 p.m. on Interstate-4, between County Road 557 and U.S. 27, in Lakeland, FL. As rain pelted Matt Cobey's windshield, he was driving west on Interstate 4, toward Tampa, FL when he suddenly spotted break lights and swerving of other vehicles. Trying not to hit the other cars, Cobey hit the breaks and tried to pull off the road. It was too late, the driver behind him had slammed in the back of him and within minutes multiple collisions occurred. Cobey and 30 other drivers were involved in a series of mostly minor accidents on I-4 in Lakeland, FL.
According to Lakeland, FL emergency officials, the collision, which began at 4:30pm, stretched along the interstate for miles in both directions.
Cobey who had been driving in the middle lane, stated that "It was raining pretty hard" "Everyone started to stop all at once," said Rebecca Davidson, who was Cobey's passenger at the time of the multiple collisions. The collisions stretched along the interstate for two-miles, not far from the massive I-4 pileup, which occurred in January 2008. That pileup, involving 70 vehicles, resulted in five deaths when smoke and fog hindered visibility of the roadway.
Polk County, FL Fire Battalion Chief , Joe Butler, was one of the first emergency responders at the scene. He first arrived at an accident near mile marker 55, where a car ran through a fence.
Another call of an overturned vehicle at I-4 and U.S. 27 was sent out. Within minutes, cars slowing down for the accidents began hitting one another, he said. Butler called dispatchers to warn of the multiple crashes - "5, 8, 12," crashes, he counted, asking for I-4 to be shut down. But the road wasn't closed. Instead, traffic was diverted to one lane by law enforcement officials.
The chaotic scene, which centered near mile marker 51, eventually calmed. Troopers and deputies began combing through the wreckage, westbound traffic on the interstate was closed from U.S. 27 past Champions Gate. Officials advised drivers to find alternate routes. I-4's eastbound lanes were snarled for miles, west of U.S. 27.
Morrison, 22, had been driving east in the downpour when she saw brake lights. When she tried to stop, Morrison hydroplaned. But she kept the minivan under control until she was rear-ended by another car. "It was raining and everyone was driving," she said. "The guy behind me couldn't stop in time. He just slammed into me."
Matt Hanno, 22, of Bonita Springs, FL was involved in another of the crashes and shared a similar account. "I saw a car slam on brakes so I slammed on mine," said Hanno, who was driving a gold Honda sports utility vehicle. "But then I bumped them (a Toyota FJ in front of him) and got hit from the rear."
Two of the victims were taken by ambulance to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Lakeland, FL, and two to Heart of Florida Hospital. There were no fatalities and only three injuries reported.
As a personal injury lawyer, practicing in Polk County, FL, I represent injured victims. Traffic incidents, involving pileups, present unique challenges. Before a plaintiff can recover for injuries, he or she has the burden of establishing fault on the part of the defendant. In car crashes involving two automobiles, the fault typically lies with one or perhaps both drivers. But in a pileup case, there are multiple vehicles involved and it is not always clear to determine fault. Every driver has a duty to act in a reasonably safe manner, in accordance with the conditions. Thus, the question becomes whether the defendant(s) reacted appropriately to the weather conditions and in response to the other accidents at the time.
