Deputy Runs Red Light and Hits Car With Green Arrow
A police vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of Belcher Road and Main Street in Dunedin, Florida. The accident happened at approximately 11:21 p.m. on September 4, 2016 as Deputy Tyler Green was going eastbound on Main Street. Green ran the red light and struck Karen Garland who was making a left hand turn with a green arrow at the time of the accident. Green was driving a 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser and was carrying a child as a passenger.
This accident likely happened as the deputy was distracted by equipment in his patrol vehicle. Most modern patrol vehicles have a laptop computer in them that the deputies sometimes attempt to use while driving. While I understand that they sometimes have no choice but to use their equipment while driving because too much time can be lost in certain circumstances, however, using the equipment when it is not necessary creates an unnecessary risk of injury. In order for Garland to make a claim, she has to send a statutory pre-suit notice letter to Bob Gualtieri in his official capacity as Pinellas County Sheriff. Thereafter, the Sheriff has 180 days to respond to the pre-suit notice letter before Garland can file a lawsuit. If a lawsuit has to be filed, she is required to Bob Gualtieri, as Sheriff of Pinellas County, Florida, as the sheriff is a political subdivision of the state and maintains its own vehicles and liabilities. A judgment or settlement against the sheriff is reflected in the annual budget and is subject to sovereign immunity limits.
If you have been involved in a car accident with a government vehicle and need help making a claim under a waiver of sovereign immunity, please contact a Tampa Bay area personal injury attorney for a free consultation and discussion of your case.
