Florida Injury Attorneys Blog

Allen Clifton was arrested in Marion County, Florida after he allegedly impersonated a police officer while driving drunk. Clifton, 29, was reportedly charged with one count each of impersonating a law enforcement officer, driving under the influence of alcohol, fleeing and eluding, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and resisting without violence, as well as six counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. He remains incarcerated in lieu of paying $55,000 according to reports. It is not clear whether Clifton has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

According to press reports, the alleged offenses occurred on Monday in Marion County, near Highway 484 and Marion Oaks Boulevard. The time of the indecent is not currently known, although multiple marked police cars were reportedly involved.

The episode purportedly began when a Marion county deputy allegedly spotted Clifton driving a white GMC pickup truck with strobe lights, trying to pull another vehicle over to the side of the road. A description of the vehicle that Clifton was allegedly attempting to pull over is not available, and it is not clear what investigators suspect Clifton's alleged motives were in attempting to pull over the vehicle. The deputy reported that upon witnessing the interaction, he tried to pull Clifton over, but that Clifton fled. The officer gave chase and called for backup.

The officer alleged that Clifton continued to flee, driving over 100 miles per hour and leading several marked police cars on a police chase through a residential neighborhood. It does not appear as though any bystanders (pedestrians or otherwise) were hurt during the chase. The press release by Marion County's Sheriff Office alleges that eventually, in order to stop Clifton, police officers blocked the street with their cars. Clifton, however, allegedly still refused to stop, slamming through the makeshift barricade and continuing to drive away.

Continue reading "Allen Clifton Arrested in Marion County, Florida for Drunk Driving" »

Carolyn Ramos of Port St. Lucie, Florida, is reportedly recovering after she allegedly struck a pickup truck after driving the wrong way on Interstate 95 on Sunday, according to reports. Ramos, 41, has not been charged as authorities continue to investigate the crash, which, sources indicate, may have involved the influence of drugs or alcohol. It is not clear whether Ramos has retained a private criminal defense lawyer to help her with any forthcoming charges. Likewise, it is not yet known whether family member of the victims plan on filing wrongful death suits.

According to news reports, the car accident occurred on northbound Interstate 95 near Martin Highway at approximately 2:19 a.m. on Sunday. Ramos allegedly drove her Jeep SUV onto the wrong side of the highway, running south in a northbound lane, until she collided head-on with a 1982 Chevrolet pickup truck. Police are not yet sure what caused Ramos to go the wrong way on the highway. "The events that led up to the crash are still under investigation, but the vehicles collided head-on and stopped within the inside lane of I-95," a report by the Florida Highway Patrol reportedly details.

Because the investigation is still proceeding, it is not clear where Ramos entered the highway or how fast either vehicle was going when they collided. What is known is that both vehicles ended up bursting into flames upon impact. The truck reportedly contained a man, a woman, and two children. None survived the collision, as they were trapped inside of their burning vehicle. They were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The names and ages of the victims have not yet been released as police work to identify them and inform relatives of the loss. It is possible that identification will take some time due to the damage from the fire. "[The vehicle is] crushed and [the victims] are totally burned up, so we're waiting for the Tri-County people to come out and take it apart and determine exactly who is in the vehicle," one Florida highway patrol trooper was quoted as telling the press at the scene.

Continue reading "Carolyn Ramos of Port St. Lucie, Florida Only Survivor of Fiery Wrong-Way Crash" »

Rosa Maria Rivera-Kim of Plantation, Florida was charged with the March death of Alanna DeMella today, reports indicate. Rivera-Kim, 24, was reportedly arrested at approximately 2:00 p.m. on charges of DUI manslaughter with an unlawful blood alcohol level, DUI manslaughter with impairment, and DUI property damage. It is not yet known whether she has qualified for bail bond.

The car accident in question, which made international headlines, occurred on March 18 at approximately 1:30 p.m. in a cabana located in the pool area of Riverside Hotel. The hotel is located on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Rivera-Kim later explained to investigators that she had been on her way back from lunch with her husband when the crash occurred. She had reportedly just started eating at a Mangos Restaurant and Lounge, located at 904 E. Las Olas Boulevard, when she and her husband got into an argument. Rivera-Kim told investigators that she became upset and left, leaving her half-finished appetizers and martini at the restaurant.

Rivera-Kim reported that as she drove by the hotel, she lost control of her silver 2006 Audi, sources indicate. Coverage of the accident says that Rivera-Kim crossed an eastbound lane of the road and crashed into the cabana-style bathroom near the pool of the hotel. Alanna DeMella, 27 and seven months pregnant, was reportedly using the facility at the time of the crash. Sources indicate that she died on impact. Witnesses at the hotel reported that the cabana partially collapsed when the car hit it.

A witness later told police that Rivera-Kim had been going over the 25 mile per hour speed limit posted on the road, according to reports. Rivera-Kim reportedly told investigators at the crash site that she did not remember hitting the building. Toxicology reports of blood taken from Rivera-Kim at the crash site showed that her blood alcohol level at the time of the collision was 0.24%. The legal blood alcohol percentage for operating a motor vehicle is 0.08%.

Continue reading "Rosa Maria Rivera-Kim Charged with Broward County, Florida Crash that Killed Alanna DeMella" »

Edith Bette Lewis, Steven V. Taitel, his wife Karen Taitel, and Jack and Joyce Weinstein were involved in a Palm Beach, Florida car accident over the weekend that ended with Steven Taitel dead, according to news sources. Taitel, 69, was reportedly pronounced dead at Delray Medical Center after the accident. Karen Taitel, 68, Joyce Weinstein, 67, and Edith Bette Lewis, 72, sustained serious injuries in the crash, sources indicate. Jack Weinstein was reportedly the least hurt, suffering minor injuries. Charges are pending as an investigation into the crash continues. Authorities have asked any witness of the crash to please come forward with information.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reportedly announced the accident in a press release on Monday morning. According to reports, the accident occurred at approximately 10:23 p.m. on Sunday night at the entrance to the Cobblestone Creek community located on Lyons Road. Weinstein was reportedly driving an Infiniti sedan carrying his wife and Steven and Karen Taitel, while Lewis was driving a Dodge Caravan with no passengers. The crash allegedly occurred when the Infiniti was headed northbound on Lyons Road. Lewis allegedly drove her vehicle directly in front of the Infiniti while trying to turn left into the Cobblestone Creek community where she lived. The Infiniti struck the Caravan on its right side, sources indicate.

After the accident, everyone involved in the crash had to be transported to area hospitals for medical treatment, according to reports. Taitel was reportedly pronounced dead at 4:05 a.m. on Monday at Delray Medical Center, where he was undergoing emergency surgery. Karen Taitel, Joyce Weistein, and Lewis remain in serious condition, and no updates on their statuses are immediately available. It is not clear whether Jack Weinstein is still in the hospital

Florida has seen more than its' fair share of traffic accidents recently. In one Winter Park, Florida incident that occurred recently, a 21-year-old woman was arrested and charged with DUI and property damage after she allegedly struck a Steak 'n Shake restaurant with her SUV. It is not immediately clear whether Brittany Christian has qualified for bail bond or retained a private criminal defense attorney following the incident.

Continue reading "Edith Bette Lewis, Steven V. Taitel in Palm Beach, Florida Car Accident" »

Sandor Guillen of Miami, Florida allegedly killed Kaely Camacho, 13, in a deadly hit-and-run accident last Friday. Guillen, 38, was booked at Miami-Dade County Jail on one count each of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and leaving the scene of a crash involving a death as well as two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving great bodily injuries. It is not clear whether Guillen has qualified for bail bond or has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

The accident reportedly occurred on Southwest 184th Street and the U.S. 1 Busway at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Friday. Guillen was allegedly speeding down the busway in an illegal southbound direction in his 2010 Range Rover when he hit a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country minivan driven by Kirk Camacho, 47, and containing passengers Breean Camacho, 16, and Kaely Camacho, 13. While it is still not clear what caused the accident, police say that Guillen was at fault. "You can see from the damage of the actual mini-van, it's missing the second half; the impact was very severe," said a Miami-Dade Police spokesperson.

Following the crash, Guillen allegedly fled the scene of the accident on foot. He was apprehended soon after and hospitalized before being taken to prison. The arrest report indicates that he smelled strongly of alcohol and was behaving inebriated at the time of his arrest. He also reportedly told officials that he had been at a gathering, where he was drinking with friends shortly before the accident.

A service station manager who was working nearby reportedly heard the crash and ran over to help. "All of a sudden, we hear 'bang' and a woman screaming. We helped take her out of the van. Her father grabbed her in her arms. He laid down next to the tree in the grass and kept saying, 'don't leave me, don't leave," the witness told the press. All of the minivan's occupants were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital following the car accident.

Kaely died in Jackon Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center a short time after the collision. It is not clear whether she or the other occupants of the van were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, though it appears as though no one was ejected from the vehicle. At Southwood Middle School, where Kaely was attending eighth grade, classmates wore blue, her favorite color, in her honor yesterday. A group of four of Kaely's best friends showed the press bracelets that Kaely had made for them. "It's not fair, we were inseparable with her for the past four years, it shouldn't happen to her," one of them told a reporter.

Guillen is a physical therapist who lives in Coral Gables, Florida. He has been arrested twice before in the area, although in both cases charges were later dropped. In 2009, Guillen was arrested for battery; a year later, he was arrested again for battery and disorderly conduct. A sample of Guillen's blood from the time of the collision is being tested at a lab to determine whether alcohol was a factor in the crash. A blood alcohol content percentage has not been released.

Nicholas Steven Fox caused a Sebring, Florida accident that killed Peggy Sue Roaf on Wednesday, March 28, according to sources. The car accident allegedly occurred when Fox, 31, of Fort Lauderdale, FL allegedly drove onto the wrong side of U.S. 27. Authorities suspect that alcohol or drugs may have been a factor in the crash, and charges are pending as authorities conduct an investigation. It is not clear whether Mr. Fox has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to police reports, the car accident occurred at approximately 6:28 p.m. on Wednesday on U.S. 27 near Tubbs road in Sebring. Fox was driving southbound, where witnesses reported that he was driving recklessly, aggressively and in an apparently impaired manner. He allegedly suddenly lost control of his GMC envoy for unknown reasons and crossed three southbound lanes, hit a concrete drainage structure in the center median of the highway, then continued across thee northbound lanes before striking Roaf's northbound Ford Focus.

Walter Giovanni Aguilar, 46, was headed north in his Volvo tractor-trailer during the incident. He swerved onto the shoulder of the highway in order to avoid the SUV, which ended up striking the side of the tractor-trailer before colliding with the Focus. Pictures of the accident scene revealed that the SUV ended up coming to rest on the hood of the Focus.

The SUV was carrying six passengers at the time of the crash, all of whom went to Highlands Regional Center for treatment. Their names, ages and conditions are not currently known. Fox was taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries. Aguilar walked away from the accident unscathed. Roaf, 52, who had been wearing her seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene of the car accident and had to be extracted from her car by a fire rescue crew. There were no passengers in her vehicle at the time of the crash.

Police told the press that they suspect that the total vehicular damages from the accident amount to $21,000 ($10,000 each on the Ford Focus and the GMC Envoy; $1,000 on the tractor-trailer). Clean up of the scene took three hours, during which time northbound drivers were diverted to Sparta Road.

In nearby Lantana, FL, another victim of a crash involving an SUV died on Tuesday evening. The crash reportedly took place at 8:50 p.m. in front of the Home Depot located on Jog Road in Lantana. 22-year-old Frank Whiffen was turning into the parking lot on his Honda motorcycle when 46-year-old Simon Celidieu, going in the opposite direction on Jog Road, allegedly turned his Izusu Rodeo into the motorcycle's path. Calidieu may have been trying to turn left into a business across the street from the Home Depot.

The vehicles collided and Whiffen, who was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, was thrown from his motorcycle. Whiffen was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical workers. Celidieu want not hurt in the crash. Officials did not say whether they suspect drugs or alcohol to have been a factor in the crash. The incident is being investigated as a traffic homicide, but no charges have yet been filed.

Sabrina Gavagni Fiorentino of Palm Beach, Florida was arrested for Bryanna Sanville's death on Wednesday, March 28. Fiorentino, 20, allegedly killed her friend Sanville, 19, by driving under the influence in Palm Beach, FL last October. Fiorentino has been charged with one count of DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI damage to a person or property. She was released on supervision from Palm Beach County Jail on $5,000 bail bond.

The police report indicates that Fiorentino and Sanville were driving back from a visit with Fiorentino's family in Jensen Beach in a Kia Forte at approximately 11:39 p.m. on Thursday, October 3rd when the accident occurred. Blood test taken later revealed that Fiorentino was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol at the time of the crash. It is not clear what her exact blood alcohol content was, but the report describes her as "highly intoxicated."

As the pair, who met in high school, were heading home to Palm Beach Gardens, Fiorentino allegedly tried to make a U-turn while driving on Northlake Boulevard, close to the corner of Alister Boulevard and Hiatt Drive. The report indicates that Fiorentino, in making the U-turn, drove in front of an eastbound Ford Explorer. The driver for the Explorer, 42-year-old Dora J. Valencia, was unable to avoid the crash and hit the passenger' side of the Kia. It is unclear how fast the Explorer was going.

The four survivors of the car accident (the Explorer had two passengers, an unnamed male minor and 19-year-old Viviana Silva) were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center for treatment. All four were released within a few days. Sanville, however, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

Sanville's death sent family and friends, former classmates at Palm Beach Gardens High School and fellow students at Palm Beach State College reeling. "She was so fun. She was very smart. She could do anything she put her mind to," said Sanville's sister, who mentioned her sister's big blue eyes and fun and playful personality. A former high school English teacher described Sanville as calm and intelligent, and a welcome respite from the normal chaos of a high school classroom.

An online guestbook filled with notes to Sanville is a testament to how much people loved her. One entry reads, "It's hard to come to terms with the fact that you're truly gone. So many people loved you and it is terrible that this had to happen. I miss you more and more every day, you will never be forgotten." Several shout-outs were also written to Fiorentino in the guest book, empathizing with her situation. No one who wrote in the guest book seemed to blame Fiorentino for Sanville's death.

Fiorentino, charged with the death of her friend, listened on Thursday as a circuit court judge barred her from driving, going to establishments that provide alcohol or drugs, or possessing or consuming alcohol or drugs. In her mugshot, she appears with no makeup and her hair braided back. It is not clear whether Sanville's family or others involved in the crash plan on filing lawsuits against Fiorentino.

Rosa Rivera Kim of Fort Lauderdale, Florida hit Alanna Demalla, a seven-months pregnant woman, as she used the bathroom inside of a poolside cabana on March 19, according to sources. Kim apparently sped off of a nearby road and crashed into the cabana, killing Demalla, 26, on impact. Rivera was sent to the hospital in serious condition after the car accident. It is not entirely clear what caused the crash, and officers are still conducting an investigation. As of now, no charges have been filed. It is not known whether Riviera has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to reports, the car accident occurred at around 1:30 p.m. at the Riverside Hotel, located at 800 SE Fourth St in Fort Lauderdale. Demella and her husband, Michael Demella, were visiting from Boston. They had reportedly won a trip to Fort Lauderdale through their church and had just finished attending a conference for Christian couples.

Witnesses say that the Demallas had just come out into the pool area and had decided to use the bathrooms located in the cabana. While they were in the bathroom, a four-door sedan drove off of East Las Olas Blvd. straight into the ladies' restroom side of the cabana. The two concrete pillars that held the two-story structure up collapsed, crushing Alanna Demalla inside.

"A big almighty explosion, that's what it sounded like," commented one witness. "Tragic accident. It's sad. There was no breaking. No screeching of tires, just a big explosion." "We all converged to starting, ripping the debris apart to get to the woman. I think it was too late," said another witness. "Just sitting there, minding your own business and one almighty bang. You just never know. Poor lady had just gone in there to use the restroom."

Another witness indicated that Rivera's car was going quite fast: "I was driving along here and the car cut in front of me, going very rapidly," he said. The speed limit in the area is at most 30 miles per hour. Authorities are still trying to figure out what caused Rivera to lose control of her vehicle. There has not yet been any mention of the possibility of the involvement of drugs or alcohol.

According to witnesses, the woman's husband was screaming "why? why?" and kept repeating that he and his wife were on their way home and that he didn't understand why this had happened. It is not clear whether he sustained any injuries; sources indicate that three people were taken to the hospital, and witnesses say that he appeared to have suffered some cuts.

Emergency workers unearthed Demella from the cabana wreckage. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Rosa Maria Riviera was transported to Broward General Medical center, where medical personnel say she is in serious condition. She later told police that she had been at lunch drinking a martini just before the accident but that she had not finished her beverage because she had gotten into an argument and left the restaurant.

Paul Alan Scheffer was arrested in Sarasota, Florida for DUI after allegedly sending David E. Bregg to the hospital in critical condition. Scheffer was booked at the Sarasota County Jail on Friday for one count of DUI involving bodily injury after the car accident. He remains incarcerated in lieu of paying $100,000 bail bond. Arraignment has been scheduled for March 16. It is not clear whether he has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to investigative reports. Scheffer, 54, was driving his 1993 Nissan truck north on Albee Farms Rd, and David E. Bragg, 38, was riding his 2007 Suzuki motorcycle southbound on the same road at around 6:22 p.m. Friday afternoon. At the intersection of Edmndson Rd and Albee Farms Rd, Bregg was continuing straight at a green light when Scheffer allegedly turned left in front of Bregg's motorcycle. Bregg was unable to stop or avoid Scheffer and ended up hitting the right rear side of the truck.

Bregg sustained serious injuries and was taken to Blake Medical Center in Bradenton for treatment. Reports indicate that he was in critical condition over the weekend. There have not been any updates as to his condition. Because of his injuries, he was unable to give officers his version of the car accident.

Scheffer told authorities that he turned left in front of Bregg because he had a green arrow at the traffic light. He was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured in the accident. Officers determined that he had been drinking and arrested him on the DUI charge. Scheffer sports a black eye in his mugshot; it is not clear whether it was sustained in the accident or was the result of another incident.

Scheffer has been arrested for drinking and driving several times in the past. The two previous arrest took place in August 1996 and October 1998. The details of the cases are not currently known.