The family of two Bermudian women killed in a car crash in Florida are suing the district sheriff’s office for negligence.

Donald Francis lost his wife, Geraldine, and daughter, Lisa Jackson, in a collision on August 11, 2024, near Fort Lauderdale, while his granddaughter, Kumani Jackson, who was 17 at the time, was left with a serious brain injury and had to learn how to walk again.

US media outlets reported that two years on, Mr Francis wants to see the Broward County Sheriff’s Office held accountable.

He believes that the BSO were negligent in initiating and continuing the road pursuit that led to the crash.

Two deputies had tried to pull over Gavin Dorvil before he reportedly led them on a chase, ran a red light and collided with the family’s vehicle.

In a report on 7News Miami, Mr Francis said: “It’s been a struggle, you know. There’s always reminders, always reminders.”

Mr Dorvil’s Tesla Model 3 was allegedly speeding between 85mph and 91mph in a 35mph zone at the moment of impact with the family’s rental Dodge Durango.

As a result of that collision, the Durango struck a Chevrolet Trax that was travelling eastbound.

The Trax rolled over on to its roof, coming to rest in the eastbound lanes.

The Tesla and the Durango continued southwest and crashed through a chainlink fence surrounding a cemetery, where each vehicle came to a final rest.

The medical examiner’s office reported that Ms Jackson, the driver of the Dodge, and passenger Mrs Francis, died from blunt-force injuries.

Josiah Graham, the family’s attorney, told the broadcaster: “What makes this tragedy even more difficult to accept is that we allege it should have never happened in the first place.”

He added: “We allege that the Broward Sheriff’s Office was negligent in initiating and continuing this pursuit and that its actions contributed to the deaths of Geraldine Francis, Lisa Jackson and the catastrophic injuries suffered by Kumani.”

Kumani Jackson, now 19, had just graduated from The Berkeley Institute and was in Fort Lauderdale with her family as she prepared to attend Nova Southeastern University.

She was one of Bermuda’s top junior tennis players and had already represented the island in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Her injuries from the crash changed everything. Ms Jackson spent about eight weeks in a hospital intensive care unit, during which time Mr Francis and his two other daughters made repeated visits to Florida to be at her bedside.

It is understood that Mr Francis now looks after her with the help of a caregiver.

Mr Graham said: “Two years later, we’re here because this family deserve answers. They deserve to know whether this tragedy could have been prevented, and they pray that it never happens to another family again.”

Both deputies received suspensions without pay for 24 and 48 hours.

According to an internal affairs report, they reached speeds of 76 to 83mph and failed to use discretion.

Mr Dorvil, 21, remains in Broward County Main Jail after pleading not guilty to the 11 charges against him, which include two counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of fleeing and eluding law enforcement to cause injury or death.

The case is set for a mention on August 19.

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office was contacted for comment.

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