A typical workday for the Powell family, owners of the Caribbean Flair food truck in Lehigh Acres, took a devastating turn on June 25 when a pickup truck suddenly reversed into their business, injuring two of their children and leaving the truck heavily damaged.
Surveillance footage from that day shows a pickup truck driving down Leeland Heights Boulevard West before stopping in the middle of the road.
Moments later, the driver puts the vehicle in reverse and backs at high speed into the parking lot, crashing directly into the Caribbean Flair food truck.
Inside the truck, chaos unfolded as hot cooking oil, sharp tools, and food were violently thrown around.
Father, RP, described the terrifying moment.
“I heard a skidding sound, like tires screeching. I stepped out to check on my younger child and saw the truck reversing straight toward us from the road. We were screaming, trying to stop him,” he said.
Two of Powell’s children were injured with second and third-degree burns in the crash. One of them, 17-year-old KP, suffered severe burns on her arm and leg.
“My arm got burned, and my leg — all the way up,” she said.
R added that her burns required multiple surgeries, including skin grafts performed by a specialist in Tampa. Another child fell during the crash and sustained burns and bruises.
“I was scared and sad to see what was happening to my skin,” K said. “It made me feel mad inside.”
The accident came just two weeks after the family had reopened their food truck, a vital source of income for them.
Now, the truck remains out of operation and stuck in the same parking lot due to internal damage. “It’s been rough,” said M P, R’s wife.
Sixteen-year-old A P expressed the emotional toll the incident has taken.
“It’s been hard seeing my sister go through this. It’s completely unimaginable,” A said.
According to the family, the driver told both them and Lee County deputies that a mechanical issue caused the vehicle to reverse uncontrollably. Deputies cited the driver for careless driving. Still, the family struggles to understand how the crash occurred.
“You stop, you check your GPS or whatever, but then you hit the gas and go flying into people? I don’t get it,” M said. “There are a lot of questions we still have.”
The P say their only priority now is the full recovery of their children. As the food truck sits idle and medical treatments continue, they are left hoping for healing — and to get business back up afterward.
How Ovadia Law Group Builds Strong Car Accident Cases
At Ovadia Law Group, we believe that a strong case starts with a thorough investigation. Our car accident lawyers gather police reports, medical records, witness statements, and any available video footage to build a compelling claim. We also work with accident reconstruction experts when needed to prove liability. Whether your accident involved a drunk driver, a hit-and-run, or a commercial vehicle, we tailor our legal strategy to your unique situation. Our goal is to recover the maximum compensation for your injuries and losses. Call Ovadia Law Group at 1-800-674-9396 for a free consultation and let us fight for the justice you deserve.
Source: gufcoastnewsnow
