Florida Injury Attorneys Blog

Tyler K. Burdhimo of Oakland Park, Florida was arrested after he allegedly struck and killed Maria Konstantinidis in a hit-and-run car accident, according to news reports. Burdhimo, 18, has been charged with driving without a valid driver's license and leaving the scene of a crash involving a fatality, sources indicate. He was reportedly booked into Broward County Jail on the charges, where he was granted $17,500 bail bond. If he posts the bond, sources indicate that he will have to don a GPS locator before he is freed. It is not clear whether Burdhimo has retained a private criminal defense lawyer to help him with the charges.

News sources indicate that Burdhimo has been accused of being involved in a crash that occurred on Tuesday morning in the 1500 block of Northeast 45th Street. In a public announcement, a Broward County Sheriff's office spokesperson reportedly stated that Konstantinidis, 75, had been walking along the street near the intersection of 15th Terrace and North East 45th Street just after sunrise when she was struck by a four-door Nissan Ultima. Investigators purportedly noted that the lack of skid marks in the area indicated that the driver had not stopped after the accident occurred.

Konstantinidis was reportedly found in the street wearing clothes that suggested she was exercising at the time of the crash. Police found a "Nissan" emblem on the ground near her, according to sources. Konstantinidis was transported to Broward General Medical Center for medical treatment, but she died a few hours later of injuries sustained in the accident, reports indicate.

Authorities reportedly connected the collision with Burdhimo after someone called in an anonymous tip indicating that a vehicle matching the description of the hit-and-run car was parked at a home approximately two blocks away from where the accident occurred. Police investigated the claim, which led them to a damaged 2007 Nissan Altima located at the 4300 block of Northeast 15th Terrace. Deputies evidently notice that the damage to the Nissan was consistent with damage from hitting a pedestrian and that the car was missing its' front grill emblem.

Continue reading "Tyler K. Burdhimo of Oakland Park, Florida Arrested after Maria Konstantinidis Killed in Hit-And-Run" »

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" »

Melvin Jonathan Gouthro was struck in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida hit-and-run accident that left him with serious injures, news sources indicate. Gouthro, 41, was last reported to be at Broward Health Medical Center in critical condition. Police are still looking for the driver, who was reportedly fled the scene in a black sedan. Pompano Beach Rotary Club, of which Gouthro is a member, has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the hit-and-run driver.

According to reports, the accident occurred on Saturday at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Seabreeze Boulevard. Gouthro, a Bahamas resident, was reportedly staying in the area for pleasure and was walking to W Hotel, where he was staying, when the collision occurred. He was reportedly coming from city docks near East Las Olas Boulevard, where he had left his Ocean Sportfish yacht after spending the day watching the Lauderdale Air show with friends aboard the vessel.

A witness to the accident reported that after striking Gouthro, the hit-and-run vehicle fled down Poinsetta Street. The license plate number of the vehicle remains unknown, and no other description is yet available. It is not clear whether Gouthro was crossing the street at a crosswalk. The witness called police to report the accident, and Gouthro was transported to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment.

Gouthro's business partner from Walton & Company CPAs, located in Boca Raton, told the press that his friend had yet to regain consciousness. "He is showing signs of responsiveness, but his eyes are closed," said R. Walton of his accountant business partner. "I hope they get the driver. It was a very criminal act to leave him there." It is not clear what kinds of injuries Gouthro sustained. Gouthro's family has reportedly declined to comment on the accident, and it is unknown whether they are seeking the services of a personal injury lawyer.

Gouthro's friends say that Gouthro is a generous and kind man. "He is always the person to pick you up at the airport," one of Gouthro's Rotary Club friends told the press. "He's very gracious and very generous with charities in the Bahamas and made a lot of anonymous donations. If we needed $500 to donate books, he'd be the first to give it himself."

Continue reading "Melvin Jonathan Gouthro Injured in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Hit-And-Run" »

Jeff Hood of Miami, Florida struck and killed father-daugher duo Carolina Cuadra and Issac Antonio Lopez in a car accident, according to reports. Hood, 45, suffered minor injuries in the crash. No charges have yet been filed as police continue to investigate the incident. It is not clear whether Mr. Hood has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

Reports indicate that the car accident occurred last Thursday at approximately 1:00 a.m. on the Palmetto Expressway, close to the Northwest 36 Street ramp. According to the accident report, Cuadra and Lopez were going to a warehouse to pick up Miami Herald Media Co. newspapers for delivery. Cuadra was a contract newspaper carrier for the paper, for which she worked 365 days a year.

While the pair was headed to the warehouse in Cuadra's 1996 Toyota, Hood allegedly rear-ended their vehicle with his 2002 Dodge pickup. The impact of the crash allegedly smashed Cuadra's vehicle, destroying the car and killing both her and her father. Sources indicate that Hood may have been speeding at the time of the accident, and police reportedly drew blood at the scene to determine whether he had been drinking. The report indicates that Hood was not visibly drunk, and no open containers were found in his vehicle.

Hood is a Miami-Dade County employee, though he was driving his personal vehicle at the time of the accident. Both Cuadra and her husband, Jose, worked for the Miami Herald. Carolina Cuadra left him behind along with her three daughters, aged 7, 13, and 21. It is not clear whether the Cuadra family plans on seeking the services of a personal injury lawyer.

Continue reading "Jeff Hood of Miami, Florida Hits, Kills Carolina Cuadra and Issac Antonio Lopez in Car Accident" »

Jennifer Toth was arrested in Orlando, Florida after she allegedly hit pedestrian Liu Ye in a hit-and-run car accident. Ye was proounced dead at Dr. Phillips Hospital soon after the accident. Toth was arrested for leaving the scene of a crash with a death in connection with the accident. She was apprehended after she contacted authorities to file an accident report, according to reports. Toth was booked into Orange County Jail in Orlando, Florida, which she later left on $20,000 bail bond. It is not clear whether Toth has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to the car accident report, Ye was struck at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17 near the intersection of Meadow Creek Drive and State Road 535 in Orlando, Florida. The site of the accident is near the south entrance to Walt Disney World, where Ye, a 22-year-old Chinese national, was working as a part of Disney's International College program. The program enlists students from across the globe to work temporarily as cast members in Disney theme parks and is meant to foster international ties and provide real-world business experience, according to the program's official site. A Disney representative said that Ye had been working in the Magic Kingdom section of Walt Disney World. Disney released a statement expressing condolences to Ye's family.

The accident report indicates that Ye was crossing Meadow Creek Drive at a crosswalk when a black Nissan Ultima ran a red light and struck her. Witnesses reported that the driver of the Nissan kept going without slowing or stopping the vehicle. The report indicates that a few witnesses stopped their vehicles, called police, and tried to help Ye. She did not have identification on her at the time of the accident, but police were able to identify her afterwards, although it is unclear exactly how.

Continue reading "Jennifer Toth Arrested after Orlando, Florida Hit-And-Run Death of Liu Ye" »

Thelma Wagenhoffer of Palm Coast, Florida was charged with careless driving after she allegedly crashed her car in to a packed Publix store, injuring 10 people. Wagenhoffer, 76, was not booked into jail but will have to appear in court to face the charges. It is also possible that some of the injured parties will file lawsuits against Wagenhoffer. It is not currently clear whether she has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to the car accident report by Palm Coast officers, the incident occurred at approximately 1:24 p.m. on Sunday at a Publix store located at 4950 Belle Terre Parkway. The accident, which was caught on Publix surveillance cameras, involved Wagenhoffer driving her white 2004 Toyota Camry through the Publix parking lot and 40 or 50 feet into the store, hitting 10 Publix patrons along the way. Remarkably, no one was killed in the accident.

Authorities are still trying to determine what caused Wagenhoffer to crash into the store. The Florida Highway Patrol says that Wagenhoffer's car "accelerated rapidly as it crossed the parking lot." The investigation has already ruled that the accident was not caused by a mechanical malfunction. It is not clear whether Wagenhoffer is on any medications or suffers from any conditions that may have impaired her ability to stop her vehicle. She walked away from the crash site unharmed and has not issued any public comments regarding the incident.

The injured parties include Marshenna Jones, 15, and her mother, 33-year-old Lasaunda Hampton; Daniel Siegel, 54; Suzanne Kuczek, 54; married couple Louis Caroppoli, 74, and Letricia Caroppoli, 69; Gertrude Marley, 86; Maria Hernandez, 81; and Lupo Mario Hernandez, 83, who was trapped underneath the vehicle and remains in serious condition. After the accident, Publix employees and patrons reportedly quickly organized to help victims, even working to free Lupo Hernandez from under the vehicle.

Lasaunda Hampton, who had been sitting on a bench outside of the store with Hernandez and her family moments before the accident, told the press that it was remarkable that her 3-month-old baby had survived the crash with just a bruise on his head. Hernandez was reportedly playing with Tyshan Davis, the 3-month-old, just before he was run over by the car. Lasauna Hampton suffered from lacerations from broken glass and still has glass lodged in her feet, while her daughter had to get 32 stitches to treat cuts from the crash. Because the baby was in a stroller, the impact of the crash caused him to roll away from the debris, saving him from the worst of the disaster.

"The older man that was sitting by me. He was the one that got stuck up under the car, 'cause it was us three that she just hit first... the rest of them [she was] just hitting them like bowling pins. Just knocking them out the way," Hampton told a reporter. On the surveillance footage, Hampton, her children, Hernandez, and other patrons can be seen outside of the store before the Toyota drove straight into them. They then disappear from the screen, pushed out of view by the car.

"When you see the video you realize it's a miracle no one got killed," commented a Florida Highway Patrol officer. The Publix store was reopened at 7:00 a.m. on Monday.

Tracie Moll of Fort Lauderdale, Florida ran over Rinda Mizelle while on duty as an Ocean Rescue lieutenant, according to reports. Moll allegedly was driving a lifeguard Ocean Rescue SUV on the beach when she accidentally ran over Rinda Mizelle, who was sunbathing. Moll has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident. It is not clear whether she has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to the accident report, 49-year-old Mizelle was sunbathing on the beach near 800 Seabreeze Blvd in Fort Lauderdale at approximately 3:00 p.m. last Tuesday when the accident occurred. Moll was reportedly driving the Ocean Rescue SUV and talking to another person in the vehicle when she drove over Mizelle. Moll reportedly did not see Mizelle lying on the sand and stopped the vehicle with Mizelle trapped underneath.

"All I can tell you is that suddenly I was a human speed bump," Mizelle, who was in Fort Lauderdale on vacation, told the press. "There were tires moving over my body... I started screaming and then everything goes dark because the SUV was blocking the sun." She told the press that she felt lucky to be alive.

Sources indicate that two lifeguards dug trenches in the sand to free Mizelle, who was transported to Broward General Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. She was released from the hospital and has returned to her home in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she is recovering. She told the press that she suffered from cuts and burns. "The left side of my body got it the worst. My right arm had to be stitched. We change my bandages twice a day," she informed reporters.

Moll, who has made any public comments on the incident due to city regulations, has been placed on administrative leave as the Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department performs an internal investigation. She has been working as a lifeguard lieutenant for 24 years and is one of 20 permanent lifeguards in charge of protecting beachgoers in Fort Lauderdale.

In the wake of the accident, some are criticizing the concept of driving lifeguard vehicles on the beach, which can pose a safety hazard to sunbathers. Despite the fact that lifeguards undergo special training regarding driving vehicles on beaches, it can still be difficult to see people lying on the sand from inside of a large vehicle. Moll is reportedly planning on pursuing legal action with the city of Fort Lauderdale to try to impose new regulations regarding driving trucks on beaches to prevent like incidents from happening in the future.

While the city reports that an accident like this has not occurred in Fort Lauderdale before, sunbathers have been run over in nearby cities. For example, Miami Beach officer Derek Kulian made headlines last year when he allegedly drunkenly ran over two people on a beach with an all-terrain vehicle registered to the city of Miami. His blood alcohol content was reportedly still over the .08% legal limit five hours after the incident. He is currently undergoing prosecution for DUI and has lost his position with the police department.

Miguel Rocafort of Miami, Florida died after a hit-and-run left him with injures that Kendall Regional Medical Center allegedly neglected to treat due to limited insurance funds, according to his widow. Rocafort died on Friday, six days after he was hit by a hit-and-run driver and less than two days after he was discharged from Kendall Regional Medical Center. Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office officials continue to search for the hit-and-run driver; in the meantime, it is unclear whether Flor Graham plans on retaining a personal injury attorney.

According to reports, Miguel Rocafort, 51, was hit at approximately 6:50 a.m. in on Southwest 137th Avenue near Eureka Drive last Saturday. He was reportedly riding his bicycle, a hobby of his, when the accident occurred. The driver, who may have been in a dark-colored Honda, drove off, leaving Rocafort with a serious head injury, fluid buildup in his skill, a broke leg and a fractured vertebrae.

Rocafort was rushed to Kendall Regional Medical Center following the accident. Fire rescue crews reportedly chose to take him there rather than to closer hospitals because Kendall Regional Medical Center has a class-II trauma center.

Flo Graham reported that her husband was treated for two days before the medical center tried to discharge him. Flo Rocafort, who works as a medical assistant at Jackson Memorial Hospital, said that she convinced the staff that her husband was not ready to go home. "They told me the insurance was tightening up," Flor Graham told the press. "I told them he was too seriously injured to go home yet."

However, she says, the hospital discharged Rocafort on Tuesday, despite his condition. "The patient [Miguel Rocafort] arrived at Kendall Regional Medical Center's Emergency Department, was admitted, cared for, and appropriately discharged," commented a Kendall Regional Medical Center spokesperson in response to the allegations. It is not clear how long a hospital stay is typical for the kinds of injuries that Rocafort suffered from.

Flor told the press that Rocafort was in 'extreme pain' when he left the hospital on Tuesday, and that at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Thursday, he started having trouble breathing. He lost consciousness, and Flor explained that she performed CPR and called an ambulance. He was pronounced dead at Baptist Medical Center a short time later.

"He wasn't well. It wasn't like it was a little hit, it was a terrible accident" commented a friend of the couple regarding Rocafort's early release from the hospital. "I think they let him go too soon, way too soon."

Meanwhile, the search for the hit-and-run driver was taken over by the Miami-Dade traffic homicide unit, as it escalated from a hit-and-run with serious injuries to a hit-and-run with a fatality. "We are looking for help from the public," announced a spokesperson. "Anyone who may have seen anything or knows anything about this hit and run is asked to call police." Flor Graham has also expressed that she hopes the driver of the car that hit her husband is apprehended.

Jessica Williams of Palm Springs, Florida allegedly killed Ben Perez, a wheelchair-ridden man, in a car accident on March 23. The 80-year-old, who was reportedly trying to cross the street when the incident occurred, was pronounced dead at Delray Medical Center shortly after the accident. Charges have not been filed pending a car accident investigation by the Palm Beach Sheriff's office. Williams, 22, was not injured in the accident. It is not clear whether she has retained a private criminal defense attorney to fight possible charges.

According to the accident report, the crash occurred at approximately 6:25 p.m. at the intersection of Purdy Lane and Ardell Way. Perez was reportedly sitting in his power chair near the road, attempting to cross Ardell Way. It is not clear what the traffic lights and pedestrian signals indicated at the time of the crash. Traffic was apparently backed up because of rush hour.

Witnesses say that woman driving a 2005 Ford Expedition turned out of a business parking lot and went through a gap in between stopped cars waiting for the light in an attempt to go north on Ardell Way. However Williams, who is from Palm Springs, was unable to see Perez on the sidewalk because of backed up traffic. The front of her vehicle struck Perez, knocking him out of his power chair and to the ground. He later died from his injuries, which are suspected to have included head trauma. It is not known whether Williams has any other traffic accidents on record.

Meanwhile, a man who survived a hit-and-run car accident in Miami apparently responded by fighting off officers who tried to come to his aid. The incident reportedly began at about 5:40 a.m. on Saturday near the 1800 block of Bayshore Drive, when the man, whose name and age have not been released, was hit by a yellow taxi cab. The taxi driver fled the scene without stopping, and police have asked for the public to come forward with relevant information.

According to officers, they received several emergency calls indicating that someone had been hit by a taxi cab in the area. When they responded to the calls, the taxi had fled and the victim of the accident was found was half naked and bleeding in the street. However, when police officers attempted to go to his aid, he allegedly started arguing with the officers for an unknown reason. He then began to physically fight with the officers. The man was eventually subdued, but the fight reportedly involved 10 Miami police officers, all of whom were exposed to the man's blood.

The man, once subdued, was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center for treatment. He injuries were classified as critical. Three police officers also went to the hospital for treatment for injuries received during the fight with the victim. One officer suffered a fractured arm in the altercation.

Tests are underway to make sure that the victim's blood does not contain any communicable diseases. It is not clear whether charges have been filed against him for attacking police officers. Normally, attacking a police officer is a felony violation.

Baltazar Perez Garcia, 32, was killed in a car accident in Lake Worth, Florida yesterday. According to news reports, Michael Steinberg, 65, was driving the car that ran over Baltazar Perez Garcia on South Dixie Highway.

While it appears as though Baltazar Perez Garcia was hit by Michael Steinberg's car after he stepped in front of it, Michael Steinberg may still be held accountable for Garcia's death.

As an injury attorney, I can tell you that this is a classic case of pedestrian versus car. Fatality cases like these will hinge on the totality of the circumstances present.

If the facts show that Michael Steinberg failed to use due care or failed to yield to a pedestrian in the roadway, Baltazar Perez Garcia's family may be entitled to a lot of money for his death.

Given my perspective as an injury lawyer, the purpose of this blog entry is to review the facts of this case, as they are presently known, and identify the legal issues that may be presented should this matter proceed into court.

Continue reading "Baltazar Perez Garcia Killed After Accident in Lake Worth, Florida" »

Jason Mattos-Perez was killed in Osceola County, Florida while walking on the side of the road with his wife. According to news reports, Lisa Tindall drove her car off the side of the roadway and hit Jason Mattos-Perez with her car. The car accident is still under investigation and the decision to press charges has not yet been made.

Given the great loss suffered by Jason Mattos-Perez, his wife may have a very substantial wrongful death case against Lisa Tindall.

From my perspective as an injury attorney, I can tell you that this case will hinge on two factors. First, more information is needed about the roadway in question. From an objective standpoint, the first question that comes to mind is why were Jason Mattos-Perez and his wife walking on the side of the road?

Is there a sidewalk there? Is it highway? How far did they walk from the roadway?

Off the top of my mind, it seems a little dangerous to walk next to the road, although it is clearly not illegal.

In all likelihood, the evidence available in this case will likely prove that Jason Mattos-Perez and his wife were doing everything correct at the time of the accident.

Continue reading "Jason Mattos-Perez Killed While Walking in Osceola, Florida" »