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Arrest Made in Hudson Car Accident that Killed a 5-Year-Old Triplet

March 25, 2011 - Hudson, Fla. - According to a report from ABC Action News, an arrest has been made in a car accident that killed a 5-year-old triplet. 

In early November 2010, Delaney Rossman, 5, was playing in the front yard of a neighbor's house when a neighbor, Betty Jo Tagerson, 39, of Hudson, sped away from her home.

According to police Tagerson lost control of her car, hit a parked car and then struck a group of children, including Rossman. There were 3 other children struck who ranged in age from 5 to 9 years old. Tagerson was then thrown from her vehicle.

Rossman was taken to St. Joseph's All Children's Hospital with serious injuries but sadly, later died from her injuries.

Tagerson had lived a short distance from the Rossman's house and since the car accident, they have moved to a new home.

Now Tagerson has been charged with homicide, reckless driving involving serious bodily injury and reckless driving involving property damage. Additionally, she has been given infractions for having no insurance, not wearing a seatbelt and defective equipment.

Tagerson is currently in the Pasco County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2009 Florida Crash Statistics, there were 2,558 fatalities as a result of car accidents in Florida. This represents a small decline from the number of traffic deaths that occurred in 2008 in the state. In 2009, 466 people died as a result of pedestrian accidents in Florida. 

As a service to the residents of St. Petersburg, our firm will frequently publish blogs about local traffic accidents. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in Florida that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.

Common accidents include, but are not limited to: 

• single-car accidents;
• accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
• accidents caused by aggressive driving or distracted drivers. 

If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim's family member or friend and would like the blog removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will promptly accommodate your request.

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