Daytona Beach man convicted of vehicular homicide after street race
Daytona Beach, FL – A South Daytona Beach motorist who was driving his car at speeds up to 114 mph in a street race when he crashed into another car and killed a woman was found guilty last week of vehicular homicide. Erik Worthington, 27, is facing up to 15 years in prison.
The crash happened on June 4, 2019, and fatally injured Mary Spanos, 73, of Ormond Beach.
According to Ormond Beach Police, Worthington, who was driving a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, was racing against a Subaru north on Nova Road.
The deadly crash was captured by a dash cam on another vehicle. The video showed the Camaro and the Subaru both swerving to avoid Spanos’ Cadillac SUV. The Subaru managed to avoid the Cadillac, but the Camaro did not. The car hit the left front corner of Spanos’ Cadillac, causing it to spin and roll onto its roof. The woman died seven hours later at Halifax Health Medical Center from injuries suffered in the crash.
Worthington denied he had been racing the Subaru, but witnesses said they heard the engines revving as the two irresponsible drivers were stopped at a traffic light before the crash.
What are the legal remedies for victims of street race crashes?
If you were injured or you lost someone in a crash caused by drivers involved in a street race, you must contact seasoned Daytona Beach car accident lawyers right away. Street racing is illegal in Florida. As street racing involves going at very high speeds, such crashes often result in catastrophic injury or death. The financial losses can be huge, not to mention the suffering the victims and their families experience.
The drivers involved in a street race will face criminal charges, but, in order to recover damages, you will have to file a civil lawsuit.
What type of damages are available?
You can file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Victims and their families are entitled to compensatory damages.
You can recover medical expenses and lost wages. If you lost someone in such a crash you can recover medical expenses (if there were any) as well as funeral and burial costs.
You can also claim compensation for your pain and suffering, or for the emotional distress losing your spouse or child caused you. The value of your pain and suffering damages depends on the severity of your injury and the extent to which it impacted your life. Knowledgeable Florida accident lawyers can help put a price on your suffering. Generally speaking, there is no cap on pain and suffering damages in Florida, so the outcome depends on the skill of your lawyers in presenting a convincing case.
Under Florida’s statute, you can also claim punitive damages if you were hit by a driver taking part in a street race.
Punitive damages are awarded if your lawyers can present clear and convincing evidence that “the defendant was personally guilty of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.” Driving at 100 mph can be presented as gross negligence due to the risks such speeds pose. In Florida, punitive damages are capped at $500,000 or three times the value of your total compensatory damages.
If you were recently injured in an accident in the Daytona Beach area, schedule a free consultation with a trustworthy lawyer at the Pappas & Russell law firm to see how you can recover damages.
Contact info
Phone: (386) 254-2941
213 Silver Beach Avenue
Daytona Beach, Florida 32118
Source: Man convicted of vehicular homicide in street race that led to woman’s death
