Child Dies in Fort Pierce Dirt-Bike & Truck Crash

What Happened on Midway Road

On the afternoon of July 20, 2026, a crash on East Midway Road in Fort Pierce took the life of a 9-year-old boy and injured a 13-year-old. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a dirt bike carrying two children was traveling on the sidewalk when it collided with the front bumper of a FedEx box truck that had stopped while pulling out of a driveway near 606 East Midway Road. The 9-year-old, who was operating the dirt bike, was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital, where he later died. The 13-year-old passenger was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and the truck’s driver was not hurt.

Our hearts are with the child’s family and everyone touched by this loss. Nothing in this article is meant to assign blame — the Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation is ongoing, and as of publication no charges have been announced. We share the following only because families across Florida who have lost or seriously injured a child often have the same painful, practical questions about how these cases work, and reliable answers are hard to find in the days after a tragedy.

How Florida Evaluates Fault When a Child Is Involved

One of the most misunderstood parts of a crash involving a child is how the law judges the child’s own conduct. Florida does not hold a young child to the same standard as an adult. A child’s actions are measured against what would be reasonable for a child of similar age, intelligence, and experience — and very young children may not be considered legally capable of negligence at all.

Florida also follows modified comparative negligence (HB 837, effective March 2023): more than one party can share fault, and a person found more than 50% at fault generally cannot recover. How that framework applies to a child, and to any other parties involved, depends entirely on the specific facts an investigation uncovers.

Wrongful Death of a Child Under Florida Law

When a child dies because of another party’s negligence, Florida’s Wrongful Death Act (Fla. Stat. §§768.16–768.26) allows the child’s parents to bring a claim. Unlike many other states, Florida specifically permits parents to recover for their own mental pain and suffering from the loss of a child, in addition to medical and funeral expenses and other losses. These are among the most emotionally difficult cases in all of personal-injury law, and they are governed by their own rules and deadlines.

Why an Independent Investigation Matters

After a fatal crash, the public FHP report is only a summary. When a commercial vehicle is involved — a delivery truck, box truck, or tractor-trailer — there is often additional information that is not in that report and that a family may never see unless someone asks for it in time:

• The vehicle’s onboard and telematics data — speed, braking, and movement in the moments before a collision
• Dashcam or nearby surveillance footage, which is frequently overwritten within days or weeks
• The driver’s route, dispatch, and delivery records
• Independent scene measurements and witness statements taken before memories fade

An independent investigation does not presume anyone is at fault. It exists so a grieving family can get a complete, accurate answer to the question that matters most to them: what actually happened, and why. Because some of this evidence is on a short clock, families who want those answers are usually better served by acting sooner rather than later.

Florida Law Snapshot

• A wrongful-death claim generally must be filed within two years of the death (Fla. Stat. §95.11).
• Florida uses modified comparative negligence — a party more than 50% at fault generally recovers nothing.
• A child’s conduct is judged by the standard of a reasonable child of similar age and experience, not an adult.
• Florida’s Wrongful Death Act allows parents of a deceased minor to recover for their own mental pain and suffering.

For related reading, see our personal injury practice areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a young child be blamed for a crash in Florida?

Florida does not judge a young child by an adult standard. A child’s conduct is measured against what is reasonable for a child of similar age, intelligence, and experience, and very young children may be considered legally incapable of negligence. How this applies always depends on the specific facts.

Who can bring a wrongful-death claim when a child dies?

Under Florida’s Wrongful Death Act, a personal representative brings the claim on behalf of the child’s surviving parents. Florida specifically allows parents to recover for their own mental pain and suffering from the loss of a minor child.

Why would a lawyer investigate if the police are already handling it?

The Florida Highway Patrol investigates to determine what happened and whether any traffic or criminal laws were broken. That is different from a civil investigation, which looks at whether a family has a right to compensation and preserves evidence — like vehicle data and video — that is not part of the public report and can disappear quickly.

How long does a family have to act?

Florida generally allows two years to file a wrongful-death claim, but some evidence — camera footage, a commercial vehicle’s electronic data — can be lost in a matter of days or weeks. Acting early protects a family’s ability to learn the full story later.

Where We Help

Kaiser Romanello represents injured people and grieving families throughout South Florida and statewide, including the Treasure Coast:

Source reporting: CBS12 (WPEC) and WPBF, July 20–21, 2026. Crash details are attributed to the Florida Highway Patrol and are accurate as of publication; this is a developing story and details may be updated by investigators.