U.S. Capital

In Florida, Mother of Slain Teen Bicyclist Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Police

Jun 17, 2015

Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) June 17, 2015 – A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the Lee County sheriff’s office and against a sheriff’s deputy by the mother of a teenager who was killed when his bicycle was struck by a patrol car.

Stephanie Diersing filed the lawsuit over the death of her son, age 15. The teen, of Cape Coral, was riding to school at 6:00 a.m. when the crash occurred.

“If this tragic death was the result of negligence, then a wrongful death lawsuit may be appropriate for the family to recover compensation,” said Robert Joyce, a wrongful death attorney with the Tampa firm of Joyce & Reyes. Joyce is not involved in the case.

According to the complaint, Deputy Douglas Edward Hood was driving his patrol vehicle in excess of the legal speed limit and left the roadway while attempting to adjust his laptop’s brightness setting. The lawsuit claims that Hood acted with willful disregard of human rights, safety and property in using the laptop while driving.

The accident took place near the corner of Northwest Sixth Place and Kismet Parkway West in Cape Coral. The boy was a freshman at Mariner High School.

In March, Hood was cleared of criminal charges by Circuit Judge J. Frank Porter, who found that there was insufficient evidence that Hood failed to stay within a traffic lane.

The civil suit cites the Florida Wrongful Death Act and claims that the sheriff’s office is vicariously responsible for the negligence of the deputy. The suit seeks a jury trial and damages of more than $15,000.

Learn more at http://www.joyceandreyespa.com

Joyce and Reyes Law Firm, P.A.
307 S Hyde Park Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
Call: 813.251.2007

View Larger Map

  • Bicycle accident deaths on the rise
    In Florida and nationwide, the number of deaths in bicycle accidents is rising. Advocates say bicycle safety needs to be improved. According to a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, the number of bicycle fatalities rose by 16 percent between 2010 and 2012. There were 621 bicycle deaths in 2010, 680 in 2011 […]
  • Study finds traumatic brain injury can accelerate atrophy of the brain
    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can accelerate the rate of brain atrophy, according to a new study published in the Annals of Neurology. According to the study, the brains of patients with TBI were estimated to be older than their actual chronological age. The study examined patients who had suffered brain injuries from car accidents, falls, […]
  • Exhibit at Florida Capitol heightens awareness of brain injuries
    During the month of March, an exhibit in the grand rotunda of the Florida State Capitol featured 100 masks created by survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Brain Injury Association of Florida (BIAF) organized the exhibit, “The Faces of Brain Injury,” to raise awareness and educate the public about the needs of brain injury […]
  • Widow of slain Florida cyclist files wrongful death lawsuit
    A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the widow of Walter Reyes, a bicyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Florida on January 21. Maribel Reyes filed the lawsuit against Alejandro Alvarez, the alleged driver, and Rodrigo Alvarez, his father and the person to whom the vehicle was registered. Miami-Dade police said […]
  • Family files wrongful death lawsuit over Tampa Bay motorcyclist’s death
    The family of Keith Williamson, a motorcyclist who was killed in a crash, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the Clearwater Police Department. The crash involved a high-speed chase on the Courtney Campbell Causeway Bridge in the Tampa Bay area. Williamson was riding at the front of a […]