Motorcyclist claims New Yorker in Villages-owned golf cart totaled bike, left him permanently injured

A motorcyclist has filed a lawsuit against a New York man and The Holding Company of The Villages, Inc. following a collision involving a Villages-owned golf cart in Wildwood.

Geoffrey White filed the complaint in Sumter County Circuit Court against Phillip Jagielski and the Holding Company of The Villages in October 2025. In an affirmative defense filing made by The Villages in December 2025, attorneys denied all of the allegations on behalf of their clients.

According to White, Jagielski was operating a 2024 Yamaha golf cart owned by The Villages on Reagan Road in Wildwood on February 11, 2025. The lawsuit alleges that Jagielski negligently operated the golf cart, causing it to collide with White’s 2017 Harley Davidson motorcycle.

The complaint names The Holding Company of The Villages as a defendant under the “Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine,” which holds a vehicle owner vicariously liable for the negligence of a driver operating the vehicle with their permission.

White claims the collision caused permanent bodily injury, physical impairment, and unresolved damage to his motorcycle. He is seeking a jury trial for judgment for damages, costs, and prejudgment interest.

Marion County court records show that attorneys for both sides most recently filed notices to take White’s deposition in May.