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Attorney dies after motorcycle crash
Well-known Melbourne man was not wearing helmet
BY J.D. GALLOP
FLORIDA TODAY
Fatal crash. Local attorney Phillip Mitchell, who was not wearing a helmet, died after hitting the back of the white pickup truck in the background this morning while on this Harley Davidson. A former assistant state attorney died this morning after his motorcycle slammed into the back of a pickup truck in the northbound lane of Interstate 95 near the Lake Washington overpass.
Phillip Mitchell, 47, was pronounced dead by doctors shortly after being airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center. He shared a private law practice with attorney Robert McCall and recently represented parents in dependency cases involving the state Department of Children and Families. "He was a good kid and had a friendly personality. It's a tragic loss to the legal community," Brevard County State Attorney Norm Wolfinger said today. The accident happened about 8:10 a.m. and brought traffic in the northbound lanes to a halt for nearly an hour. Mitchell, known for his love of motorcycles, was not wearing a helmet and suffered skull fractures and an injury to his upper leg, said Sgt. Channing Taylor of the Florida Highway Patrol. Taylor said the accident happened after a northbound semi-tractor trailer driven by Donald Driggers, 29, of Live Oak, Fla., slowed down in the left lane and swerved into the grassy median to avoid the heavy traffic on the overpass."Driggers had moved into the left lane and tried to pass everybody. He jackknifed after seeing the traffic up ahead," Taylor said. A white Nissan pickup driven by Aaron James, 28, of Melbourne, was travelling behind the semi and also slowed down. Mitchell hit the brakes of his Harley-Davidson and then skidded into the rear of the truck. "He was trying to breathe but the head injury was too extensive," said Taylor, who recognized the lawyer at the scene. Word of Mitchell's death today spread quickly through the legal community. Brevard County Public Defender J.R. Russo said Mitchell was a good attorney who worked well with his colleagues. He also handled cases as a conflict attorney, taking on defense cases contracted out by the Brevard County Public Defender's Office. "Phil was always just a pleasant, accommodating man and was very competent in his work. He had a lot of good contact with our attorneys," Russo said this morning.