Teens continue recovering after being run over by Sarasota County lifeguard
Teens recovering after being run over by Sarasota County lifeguard
FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.
NOKOMIS, Fla. - It was supposed to be a fun day at the beach, but two teen girls ended up in the hospital with serious injuries after they were run over by a Sarasota County lifeguard on Nokomis Beach.
Their recovery will take time, and their families have now hired legal counsel. Their attorney told FOX 13 that they never want to see this happen to anyone again.
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The backstory:
A day on Nokomis Beach for the two teens turned into a frantic situation on April 18 just after 4:45 p.m.
"We saw the emergency vehicles and the kids on the ground and the lifeguard," said Gay Johnson, who regularly visits the Sarasota County beach.
She said she saw what happened after two girls – a 14-year-old and 15-year-old – were run over by a Sarasota County lifeguard.
"The lifeguard was standing there sobbing. Someone was comforting him," Johnson said. "We were not able to see the children, because there was so many emergency people around them."
Dig deeper:
According to a report from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, a lifeguard was exiting the beach over a berm in an F-150. He intended to exit into the closed-off parking lot area.
Pickup trucks are often used on the beach, as they do not have an ATV assigned to access that area of the beach. The lifeguard said he was standing up in his seat, so he could see as far over the hood of the F-150.
He said he was moving slowly over the crest of the berm and continued slowly as he drove down it. He said he never saw any obstructions, but his view was very limited by the hood of the pickup truck.
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He felt two bumps and stopped, realizing he had struck something, and he saw that he had run over two juveniles as he opened the truck's door. Both were lying down in the sand at an angle.
The lifeguard began rendering aid while calling for assistance.
"I feel horrible for those little girls. I’m sure they were devastated as well as their parents. Accidents happen," said Johnson.
One teen was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, complaining of pain in her neck, left shoulder, left side and left hip. The other teen was taken by Aeromed to All Children’s Hospital. She advised that she heard the truck coming, but believed the sound was coming from the parking lot to the East rather than the beach to the west of them.
The teen’s mother said she suffered a broken pelvis and was being kept overnight to evaluate the status of her lungs and liver.
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Local perspective:
A witness told Sarasota County deputies that she was walking on foot towards the beach and saw the truck operating at a very slow speed. She said she did not realize the children were in front of the truck, until she heard them screaming after impact.
The witness said she did not believe the lifeguard could have possibly seen the children in front of him, and she had a much better vantage point and still did not see them.
What they're saying:
"It’s been extremely difficult for them," said Ryan Sainz, a trial attorney with Morgan & Morgan who has been retained by the teens' families. "They didn’t go to the beach planning on having a roster of doctors visits after that. That’s really what their future has in store for them right now."
Sainz said the girls are still recovering, and they don’t want this to happen to anyone else in the future.
"Our investigation is going to unfold as time progresses since this incident. Certainly there were steps and measures that could have been taken to avoid this tragic event," said Sainz.
The families of the two teenagers provided a statement through their attorney at Morgan & Morgan:
"We are very shaken and disturbed by what happened to our daughters. We can’t believe our children were run over as they laid on the beach, allegedly by a member of the Sarasota County Fire Department, no less. We are seeking answers as to why this happened and will do everything in our power to ensure our daughters recover, and hope to prevent this from happening to anyone in the future."
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The other side:
In a statement, Sarasota County said:
"Due to the possibility of litigation, we are unable to speak further at this time."
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