ALACHUA, Fla. — Authorities are investigating a fatal accident involving two vehicles that occurred on April 27 on County Road 235.
Florida State troopers said a car attempted to pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone. It crossed the centerline and collided head-on with an SUV. The impact caused severe injuries to multiple occupants.
Jessica Harwell, 42, was identified as one of the injured. She was traveling with her 14-year-old daughter and a 61-year-old man from Crystal River. Emergency responders transported the injured to UF Health Shands Hospital. The man succumbed to injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident. Further details have not yet been released.
Jessica Harwell seriously injured in tragic Alachua County head-on accident
May 02, 2025
HEAD-ON CRASH INVESTIGATION
The most common cause of head-on accidents is driver error. However, they can also be caused by drunken driving, speeding, distracted driving, poor road design, inexperienced drivers, and confusion on the part of the driver.
According to AAA, from 2015 to 2018, there were more than 2,000 deaths from head on collisions while driving on divided highways.
“Road conditions, visibility, and lighting are all possible contributing factors that are considered and must thoroughly be examined,” said Candice Bond, a Managing Partner with Bond Legal.
“An accident reconstruction team is sometimes needed to help piece together what happened. All of these resources are necessary for helping clients receive monetary compensation for damages or a loss following a collision,” said Bond.
PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM
Jessica Harwell may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim, pending the results of the investigation.
Bond said, “Injured victims involved in a collision often seek a personal injury claim to cover the cost of medical bills, future medical care, loss of income, emotional trauma, and pain and suffering.
“Insurance companies can be notoriously unconcerned with the mounting costs that an injured party may accrue. That’s where an attorney can help. We protect the victims of these tragedies daily, forcing the insurance companies to pay for their mistakes,” he added.
If you or a family member have been involved in a situation similar to this article and would like to speak to our national legal analyst Candice Bond free of charge, please use the contact information found on this page
(Candice Bond, our national legal analyst, is a Managing Partner at Bond Legal. Accident Injury News can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-986-7738 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).
