Jemel Gardener, 39, killed and Mark Andrew Caton, 22, critically injured in crash with alleged drunk driver Christopher Allen Best, 26, in construction zone in Port Charlotte, Florida
Modified Date:
Wed, 09/02/2015 - 8:27amAccident Date:
Tuesday, July 29, 2014Construction worker killed in drunk driving crash
Troopers say 26-year-old Christopher Allen Best didn't see a pickup truck with flashing overhead LED lighting signaling traffic to switch lanes. His Oldsmobile struck the men, pinning them between the car and the pickup truck.
Update: Drunk driver kills construction worker, FHP says
Best was charged with DUI manslaughter, DUI causing seriously bodily injury and DUI property damage.
The Florida Highway Patrol says a drunk driver ran into two construction workers along U.S. 41 in Port Charlotte, killing one.
The crash happened late Wednesday as 22-year-old Mark Andrew Caton and 39-year-old Jemel Gardener were performing road maintenance.
Troopers say 26-year-old Christopher Allen Best didn't see a pickup truck with flashing overhead LED lighting signaling traffic to switch lanes. His Oldsmobile struck the men, pinning them between the car and the pickup truck.
Gardener died a short time later at a Fort Myers Hospital. Caton was taken to the same hospital in critical condition.
Best's 6-year-old passenger was taken to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg with minor injuries.
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports Best is facing DUI manslaughter, DUI causing serious bodily injury and DUI property damage.
Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death
After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?
Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.
Type: Car Accident
People Involved:
Jemel Gardener
Mark Andrew Caton
Christopher Allen Best
Roadway:
U.S. 41City:
Port Charlotte, FLCounty:
Charlotte County, FLArea:
Ft. Myers-Naples, FL
Add new comment