Winter Springs, FL — September 16, 2025, Colene Ruhl was killed due to a pedestrian versus truck accident sometime in the afternoon along State Highway 434.

According to authorities, 58-year-old Colene Ruhl was traveling on an eastbound motorized wheelchair on the sidewalk beside S.H. 434 attempting to cross Belle Avenue at a crosswalk when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, as Ruhl entered the crosswalk, an eastbound 18-wheeler started a right turn to go south on Belle and struck the wheelchair. Ruhl reportedly sustained fatal injuries over the course of the accident and was declared deceased at the scene. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a person in a motorized wheelchair is struck and killed by a turning 18-wheeler while using a crosswalk, the public deserves more than just a brief statement that the incident is "under investigation." The key issue isn’t just that a crash occurred—it’s that it happened in a space where the pedestrian had every reason to expect protection.

Right turns by large trucks at intersections are one of the most high-risk maneuvers in pedestrian environments. These vehicles have large blind spots, wide turning radii, and require more space than most people realize to complete the turn safely. But it’s not enough to cite those challenges as if they excuse the outcome. The law requires commercial drivers to be aware of their surroundings, yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, and ensure that the path is clear before completing a turn.

The real question here is: Did the driver know—or have the ability to know—that someone was in the crosswalk? If the answer is no, that may point to a failure of visibility. But if the answer is yes, then someone either didn’t see what they should have—or didn’t act on what they saw. And that leads to deeper questions about the driver’s training, attentiveness, and use of mirrors or in-cab cameras.

It’s also important to look at what policies the trucking company had in place. Was this a known high-conflict intersection? Did the route require frequent turns in pedestrian-heavy areas? Were drivers trained specifically to handle urban right turns where crosswalks are present? These are often overlooked issues that only come up after a tragedy, but they matter just as much as what happened in the final seconds before impact.

Key Takeaways

• The central issue is whether the truck driver saw—or should have seen—the pedestrian in the crosswalk.
• Right turns by 18-wheelers in urban areas are high-risk and require heightened awareness and caution.
• Blind spots, mirror use, and driver training are critical factors in evaluating liability.
• Trucking company routing and safety procedures may be relevant depending on the conditions at the intersection.
• A thorough investigation should focus on what the driver could see, when, and how they responded.