Another bicycle wrongful death incident has occurred in Central Florida. This time, the victim was the 61 year old beloved former Mayor of Kissimmee, Frank Attkisson.
Kissimmee Mayor's Wrongful Death Bicycle Accident
Around 7 p.m. in the evening on Thursday, Mayor Attkisson was riding his bicycle on Kissimmee Park Road. Mayor Attkisson's bicycle was slammed into by Kirtie Jeab Knoebel driving a 4 door sedan. The bicycle vs. car impact was a rear end collision, meaning Mayor Attkisson's bike was hit from behind by the motorist.
Mayor Attkisson was taken to the local hospital (Osceola Regional) but soon pronounced dead. He is survived by a wife and children.
After serving on the Kissimmee Planning Advisory Board, Attkisson was appointed to fill a vacancy on the City Commission in 1990 and elected mayor in 1996. He was credited with enhancing the municipal airport, creating a reading program for students and pioneering a community-sponsored charter school. He later was elected by his district to serve as the Representative of the Kissimmee area in the Florida House of Representatives.
Orlando Bicycle Wrongful Death Stats
The greater Orlando area had 575 pedestrian fatalities in 2015, making it the third worst city for bicycle safety in the U.S. Orlando bicycle accidents cases are some of the most frequently brought Florida bicycle injury lawsuits, due to the frequency and severity of injury.