Three men from Ohio were in Panama City when they were involved in an accident that took all of their lives. Several other people suffered injuries in the wreck, with at least two in critical condition. Two of the men passed away at the time of the crash, while another was taken to a medical center and later succumbed to his injuries.
Police have said that all of the people in the accident did have their seat belts on. They have not determined whether or not alcohol was involved in any way. The investigation is ongoing.
Those who died were all members of one softball team. This is a huge emotional loss for their families and the others on the team.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the wreck happened near midnight. They say that the members of the softball team, at least two of whom were from Columbus, Ohio, were riding in a Dodge Caravan. Another vehicle, driven by a 21-year-old from Florida, allegedly ran through a stop sign and slammed into the van’s right side.
The driver of the van and one other passenger are the ones in critical condition. Those who died appear to all have been passengers. The driver of the vehicle that hit them, and his passenger, are listed as being in serious condition.
In a split second, one simple mistake can lead to life-altering injuries, and it can even take lives. When this happens, the families that are left behind can find themselves in a nearly impossible financial situation, which just compounds the stress of such an emotional time. It’s important, then, for them to know how to seek compensation from those who cause these tragic accidents.
Source: NBC, “Three Ohio men killed, several others injured in crash in Panama City,” Sep. 17, 2016