Florida Turnpike Accident Kills Radio DJ en Route to Miami -- Driver Swerved to Avoid Road Debris
An Orlando radio personality lost her life in a fatal Florida car crash after she swerved to avoid an object in the road and lost control of her vehicle.
On Friday May 1, Power 95.3 FM deejay Erika Roman was en route to visit family in Miami, Florida. Roman was driving southbound on the Florida Turnpike when she encountered a lounge chair in the right lane. According to news reports, Roman swerved to avoid hitting the obstacle and lost control of her vehicle when she overcorrected. Her Nissan Sentra spun out of control, went off the highway, and landed upside-down in a drainage ditch. Several witnesses struggled to pull Roman free of the wreckage and rescuers performed CPR. However she was pronounced dead at Lawnwood Medical Center in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Road Debris and Fatal Florida Highway Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has studied the problem of roadway debris that can lead to deadly traffic accidents. Motorists who unexpectedly come upon obstacles in the roadway may brake or swerve abruptly to avoid striking those objects, causing loss of vehicle control, rollovers, collisions with other motor vehicles, and vehicle damage. Types of roadway debris include:
- Fragments of blown-out tires from large commercial trucks
- Dislodged cargo, vehicle parts, tire tread, broken glass, and construction debris
- Animal carcasses
- Fallen trees
When a fatal traffic accident occurs on Florida highways and streets, a Miami car accident lawyer may work with bereaved families to determine if the accident was caused due to negligence of another driver. NHTSA reports that while roadway and roadside debris is a factor in fatal vehicle accidents, it is difficult to measure. A study of "Vehicles in Fatal Crashes Where Drivers Swerved to Avoid Debris in the Roadway 1995 – 2005" estimates 831 deaths caused by drivers swerving to avoid objects in the road (NHTSA, Commercial Medium Tire Debris Study Final Report, Dec. 2008).
Law enforcement officials investigating the fatal Erika Roman car accident told the press that if they can identify the owner of the lounge chair that ended up in the highway, the owner could be charged with failure to secure a load. A Florida Turnpike spokesperson said any additional charges would be made in conjunction with the state attorney's office.
WPYO/Orlando's Roman Killed In Traffic Accident
RadioInk.com May 4, 2009
Details emerge in crash that killed DJ Erika Roman
OrlandoSentinel.com May 3, 2009
Related Web Resources
Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association (State Attorneys)
