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Pinellas County, FL - SUV Driver Killed After Car Plunges Over Howard Frankland Bridge

By: FL Accident News Blog as Blog Post

Pinellas County, FL (August 29, 2019) - An SUV driver was killed when his car plunged over the side of the Howard Frankland Bridge and into the Tampa Bay on Wednesday, August 28th.

The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene of the crash, which took place around 7:00 am near milepost 34. Troopers say that 30-year-old Wilson Dennis Rowland of Tampa was driving a 2015 Ford F150 when he was overtaken by a Saturn SUV that was driving at a high rate of speed. Rowland then changed lanes directly in front of the Saturn. The two cars again exchanged passes in front of each other before they collided, sending the Saturn over the bridge and into the water.

On Thursday, rescuers recovered the body of 53-year-old Hiran Reis Vaz. Vaz was identified as the driver and lone occupant of the Saturn at the time of the crash. Troopers are still investigating the accident and charges are pending at this time against Rowland.

Our sympathies go out to the family of Hiran Vaz in this tragic Pinellas County crash. 

Fatal car accidents are reported each day in Florida, approximately eight times per day. When your loved one has been killed in a crash involving a negligent third party, you may have important legal rights. Under Florida's wrongful death statute, the next-of-kin may file a claim against a responsible driver for up to two years after the date of death. Under a wrongful death claim, certain types of compensation, including funeral expenses and lost wages, may be recovered.

At Rubenstein Law, our skilled and experienced Florida wrongful death attorneys are standing by 24/7 to assist you. For your free consultation, give us a call at any time, at 1-800 FL-Legal.

Rubenstein Law is dedicated to serving individuals & families injured by the negligence of others. We know first-hand the heartbreak that can be left behind after an accident. In our news blog, we write about cases of personal injury relevant to our line of work, and we report on news of judgments and appellate cases that affect the rights of personal injury claimants. We feel a responsibility to raise awareness of the injury and tragic loss of life occurring across our state every day.

Note: These posts are created using publicly available (secondary) sources, information has not been independently verified. If you see any information that should be corrected, please bring it to our attention and we will make adjustments. The photos depicted in these posts are not representative of the actual accident scene.

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