Alejandro G. Rodriguez succumbs from car accident injuries

The family of Alejandro G. Rodriguez, a man who died following a car accident on July 10, 2024, that also claimed the lives of his wife and 10-year-old child, and seriously injured their 2-year-old son, may have a case to file both wrongful death and personal injury claims against the driver of the vehicle that caused the accident.

On Sunday, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Alejandro G. Rodriguez, 46, of West Palm Beach, was pronounced dead on Friday, July 12, at Delray Medical Center. His brother-in-law, Arsenio Almaguer, confirmed that Rodriguez had been “brain dead,” and only breathing with the assistance of a ventilator since the crash.

“Horrific Accident”

According to reports, the driver of the other vehicle, 54-year-old Dawn Michele Howard of Lake Worth Beach, was traveling north in a 2020 Lexus on South Military Trail in Boynton Beach. As the traffic light turned yellow at Miner Road, she sped up to make it through the intersection before the light turned red.

As Howard sped through the intersection, the Lexus crashed into the back of Rodriguez’s 2010 Volkswagen Jetta, which was traveling in the same direction and was carrying four people. The crash instantly killed Rodriguez’s wife, 43-year-old Grechy Almauger-Perez. Their 10-year-old son, Diego, was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Charges Still Pending

Although the crash report said Howard was suspected of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, charges stemming from the crash were still pending. However, Howard faces one count of battery on a law enforcement officer due to an incident at Delray Medical Center, where she was taken for treatment of minor injuries following the crash. After being transferred to the Palm Beach County jail from the hospital, Howard was released on Thursday, July 11 without needing to post bail.

Potential For Wrongful Death Claim

Because the driver of the car that hit the Rodriguez/Almauger-Perez family has been identified, the family may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim, pending an investigation. Under Florida law, a “Personal Representative” will file the lawsuit and represent the estate’s heirs, who will also be named in the suit. Surviving spouses, adult and minor children, and parents may all be eligible to collect damages. Damages may be for both financial losses and emotional losses. It is important to note that Florida requires the following in a wrongful death suit:

• The defendant’s conduct amounted to a wrongful act, negligence default, or breach of contract or warranty.

• The conduct upon which the cause of action s based must have caused the death of the decedent.

• Such conduct must have entitled the person injured to maintain an action and recover damages if death had not ensued.

GOLDLAW can help!

Have questions about a possible wrongful death claim? Don’t wait for an insurance company to contact you. Insurance agents and adjusters work on their behalf, and don’t care about YOUR loss. “Choose the 2’s” and call the experts at GOLDLAW at 561-222-2222, for a FREE consultation,  or go to the website and  fill out your confidential case evaluation form.

Notice: As a personal injury law firm, we frequently provide legal analysis and opinion on news stories in the hope that the family and friends of the victims may gain some valuable insight into our theories of negligence based on the facts of the case. Respectfully, our thoughts are with those who have suffered a catastrophic injury or death.