1. Home
  2. Florida
  3. Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL

James Birkhold, 66, killed in car wreck at Harden Boulevard and Beaker Boulevard in Lakeland, Florida

Modified Date: 
Thu, 10/01/2015 - 1:54pm
Accident Date: 
Sunday, August 16, 2015

Deadly crash in Lakeland

A man was killed in a crash in Lakeland Sunday afternoon. It happened at the intersection of Harden Boulevard and Beaker Boulevard at 1:40 p.m. Florida Highway Patrol troopers say James Birkhold, 66, of Lakeland was making a left turn when he was hit by another vehicle. Birkhold was killed in the crash. No charges have been filed at this time but the crash is still under investigation.

Clerk of court for 2nd District Court of Appeals killed in Lakeland crash

James "Jim" Birkhold, 66, of Lakeland had served as the clerk of the court for the Second District Court of Appeals since 1999. He began practicing law that year as a VISTA volunteer and staff attorney with the Prison Project in Gainesville. A prominent member of the local judiciary was killed and three other people were injured in a crash in Lakeland on Sunday, police said. "Even more, his dedication to and respect for the deputy clerks of the court will long be remembered and missed. The impact sent the pickup, driven by 24-year-old Kyle T Cooper of Mulberry, off the road into a ditch.
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: 
James Birkhold
Kyle T Cooper
Dawn Lindleg
Morgan Thomas
Roadway: 
Harden Boulevard and Beaker Boulevard
City: 
Lakeland, FL
County: 
Polk County, FL
Area: 
Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL

Comments

Submitted by Celene Humphries on Mon, 08/17/2015 - 9:17am
Jim, you will be missed very much.

Add new comment

More information about text formats
To prevent automated s-p-a-m submissions leave this field empty.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
4 + 3 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.