In a gripping legal battle, a resident of Pinellas County is taking on a municipal entity over a shocking incident at a local beach. On April 15, 2025, Luke Hulslander filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, Florida, against the City of Tarpon Springs. The case stems from an unfortunate accident involving an automatic gate at Sunset Beach that left Hulslander with severe injuries.

According to the complaint, Luke Hulslander was enjoying a sunset at Sunset Beach on Gulf Road in Tarpon Springs when his peaceful evening took a dramatic turn. As he was leaving the beach on his golf cart, an automatic gate closed unexpectedly and struck his vehicle. The impact caused the golf cart to flip over, resulting in significant injuries for Hulslander. He was immediately taken by ambulance for medical treatment. The plaintiff accuses the City of Tarpon Springs of negligence in maintaining the gate and failing to warn visitors about its potential dangers. “Defendant breached that duty by negligently maintaining the gate,” reads one part of the complaint. Hulslander claims that despite providing timely notice of his claims as required by Florida law, the city failed to address or resolve them.

The lawsuit highlights several accusations against the city: failing to maintain the automatic gate properly, not installing adequate lighting or reflectors near it, neglecting to provide audible warnings when it closes, and not ensuring safe exits from the beach. Furthermore, it alleges improper selection and setup of the gate system without proper training for those responsible for its operation. These failures constitute what Hulslander believes is a breach of duty owed by the city to all lawful visitors at Sunset Beach.

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