Police say Fort Walton Beach crash caused by highway chase
June 01, 2015On behalf of Terence Gross of Gross & Schuster, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, November 17, 2011.
High speed chases can be dangerous and costly. Fort Walton Beach Police say two men who caused a car accident on U.S. Highway 98 at approximately 5:45 a.m. on a recent morning were involved in a chase moments before.
According to police and witness statements, a 29-year-old man driving a 2009 Nissan was being chased by a 39-year-old man from Mary Esther driving a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado. The driver of the Nissan had apparently slowed to avoid traffic near Fort Walton Beach City Hall, which caused the driver of the Silverado to crash into the rear of the Nissan.
According to Northwest Florida Daily News, after the collision, the Nissan left the roadway and entered the median, crashing into two trees before it rolled and re-entered the westbound lanes. According to the report, the 29-year-old driver was ejected from the car as it rolled, but the passenger, a 29-year-old female, remained inside.
The passenger was transported to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center for minor injuries, but the driver of the Nissan had to be airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. After the crash he was listed in critical condition.
The driver of the Silverado drove onward traveling west, and ended up sideswiping a motorist in a 2005 Nissan pickup truck. Police say he was not tested for alcohol, and it was unclear whether he would face charges.
The accident report said the Nissan pickup accident with the Silverado caused about $5,000 in damages, while the Nissan sedan sustained about $27,000 in damages. The Silverado sustained about $10,000 in damages.
Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, “Police release accident report in FWB crash,” Angel McCurdy, Nov. 4, 2011
