Former North Fort Myers, Florida Man Sentenced in Pedestrian Traffic Accident
An Illinois resident originally from North Fort Myers, Florida was sentenced to 2 years in prison following a pedestrian car accident that left a Cape Coral boy with serious injuries.
According to news reports, three-year old Gage Root suffered several broken bones and other serious injuries in Oct. of 2008, when he jumped out of a child's wagon being pulled by his aunt and ran across a construction site on Del Prado Blvd near Kismet Pkway. The boy was struck and dragged by a vehicle that did not stop at the accident scene. Police identified the maroon Lincoln involved in the Florida hit-and-run crash as belonging to Kenneth W. Upmann, 43.
News reports state that Upmann had left Florida during the police investigation, but tips led authorities to his location in Warren, Illinois. He was extradited back to Florida. Last week, a Lee Circuit Court judge gave Upmann a plea deal of two years in prison and three years probation.
Fort Myers pedestrian accident lawyers follow cases such as this where people out for a walk in Florida are seriously injured or killed by hit and run drivers.
Construction zone accidents are unfortunately not all that uncommon. Safety advocates advise pedestrians, motorists, police, flaggers and road workers at construction sites to use extra caution to avoid car-pedestrian accidents.
(See related blog entry Report Sheds Light on South Florida Highway Construction Zone Accidents & Deaths).
Man accused of running over Cape Coral boy strikes plea deal
News-Press.com Jan. 14, 2010
Suspect in Hit-and-Run Accident from October Arrested in Illinois
CapeCoral.net May 8, 2009
