Florida Injury Attorneys Blog

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" »

A Broward County, Florida bus accident injured 14 people on Tuesday, according to an announcement by a Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue spokesperson. The accident occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the corner of Southwest 2nd Avenue and Southwest 4th Street, according to the announcement. The 14 injured parties were transported to four different hospitals for treatment. Charges have not yet been filed as Broward County officials conduct a thorough investigation of the incident.

While details of the combination bus and car accident are not yet available, a Broward County transit bus and two white four-door vehicles were reportedly involved in the collision. The youngest person involved was a 1-year-old child who was a passenger in one of the vehicles. 12 bus passengers suffered from minor injuries.

The names and ages of those involved in the crash are not available, nor have the circumstances surrounding the collision been released. Aerial shots of the accident scene revealed that one of the cars sustained visible body damage, while the second car appeared to be largely intact. It is not clear what the financial cost in damages caused by the accident may be.

The accident comes in the immediate wake of another crash involving a Broward Transit Bus. The accident, which occurred over the weekend at 3100 West Broward Boulevard, trapped a 30-year-old man inside of his own vehicle. Emergency crews ended up extracting him from the vehicle using the Jaws of Life, a hydraulic rescue tool used to pry apart severely damaged vehicle in order to free trapped occupants. The man was taken to Broward Medical center for treatment after he was freed. His condition is not publicly known.

Continue reading "14 Injured in Broward County, Florida Bus Accident" »

Jason Santamaria, 5, died in a Homestead car accident that also injured Florencia Tarrau and Nicolas Ramirez, according to the Homestead police department. Gregoria Saucedo, 63, was uninjured in the accident and was charged with failing to failing to yield during a left hand turn resulting in a fatality and driving with an invalid drivers license in connection to the crash.

Saucedo was arrested and booked at Miami-Dade County Jail. It is not clear whether she has been granted bail bond or has retained a private criminal defense attorney. It is similarly unclear whether Jason Santamaria's family or the injured parties are seeking the services of a personal injury lawyer.

According to the accident report, the collision occurred on Monday a few minutes before 8:00 a.m. at the intersection of Campbell Drive and Kingman Road. Florencia Tarrau, 76, was reportedly driving a red Toyota sedan with Jason Santamaria buckled into the passenger seat. Tarrau, 76, is the boy's great aunt and was babysitting him at the time of the accident.

The accident report indicates that as Tarrau headed east on Campbell Drive, Gregoria attempted to turn her pickup truck onto Kingman road and clipped the Toyota in the process. The Toyota was shoved into the westbound lane of Campbell Drive, where Nicolas Ramirez, who was driving west in his Kia, struck the vehicle head-on.

Jason Santamaria is believed to have been declared dead at the scene of the accident. Tarrau and Ramierz were transported to Kendall Regional Medical Center for treatment, where Tarrau remains in critical condition. Ramirez is in fair condition, according to hospital records, though it is not clear when he will be released.

Police have indicated that Santamaria should have been in a booster seat because the seat belt was resting across his neck rather than his chest. However, child seats are not obligatory by Florida law for children over three years of age, and Santamaria was bucked in as required by law. Tarrau, therefore, will not be facing charges for not placing Santamaria in a booster seat.

Continue reading "Jason Santamaria, 5, Dies in Homestead, Florida Car Accident; Gregoria Saucedo Arrested" »

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.

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.

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.

Antoinette Bacon of Miami Lakes, Florida was involved in a car accident on Wednesday which killed Tyrell Frazier, her boyfriend, sources indicate. The accident also reportedly involved an SUV, a Jeep and a Miami-Dade Transit bus. No charges have yet been filed as investigators continue to work to discover the cause of the crash.

According to the accident report, the car accident occurred at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Miami Lakes Drive near Northwest 57th Court. 21-year-old Bacon and 25-year-old Frazier were reportedly headed west in a silver Nissan Maxima, on their way to the Miami warehouse where Frazier worked. For unknown reasons, Bacon lost control of the vehicle while trying to pass a Jeep Cherokee. The car swerved onto the wrong side of the road, where it collided with a Miami-Dade Transit bus head-on. It then clipped the Jeep that it had been trying to pass before coming to a stop in the road. A third vehicle, a black SUV, was also involved in the accident.

"[The car] was in back of us. Then it was so fast that it passed next to us.... then, it was just on top of us," reported a woman who was in the Jeep at the time of the accident. "Everybody went running to the car... then they took the guy out. When they took him out, he was dead already." The witness also said that Bacon "had her whole body broken." Footage from the accident revealed that the entire front of the Nissan was completely shattered.

Frazier was extracted from the wreckage by a Coast Guard member who happened to witness the accident. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, despite the Coast Guard member and emergency medical worker's attempts to revive him.

Bacon was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment after emergency workers removed her from the vehicle using a hydraulic rescue tool. She remains in critical condition and, as such, has not yet been interviewed by investigators. It is not clear whether she will survive her injuries. No one aboard the bus or in the other vehicles involved was injured in the accident.

"We need to speak to the driver of the vehicle which, in this case, is Antoinette," commented an investigator. "We're allowing her to get all the medical attention first before we can interview her. Once we get her side, we'll be able to know if, in fact, this could have been a medical condition, or if in fact there was something wrong with the car, or if maybe there was a disturbance inside that vehicle that made them lose control."

Bacon and Frazier reportedly are the parents of a 1-year-old boy. It is not clear who is caring for the child while his mother is in the hospital, nor is it clear who will get custody of the child should his mother die of her injuries.

Tyrell Frazier's parents described him as a "good kid on his way to work... a good soul working to support his family." Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.

Carlos Adams and Tracy Lopez were hurt in a Palm Coast, Florida car accident on Tuesday, according to sources. Adams, 42, and Lopez, 44, are both in critical condition. Charges are pending as authorities investigate the cause of the car accident, which allegedly involved Adams crashing into two trees. It is not clear whether alcohol or drugs were involved.

According to the accident report, the crash occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday on Palm Coast Parkway, near Canopy Walk gated community in Palm Coast. Adams and Lopez were apparently driving down Palm Coast Parkway in a 2002 Jaguar when Adams suddenly lost control of the vehicle for unknown reasons. The Jaguar ended up crashing into two trees, splitting into pieces and bursting into flames.

Luke Vaughn and Cody Decker, both age 17, were coincidentally locked out of a nearby gated community at the time of the crash and went to the couple's aid. Vaughn and Decker, who were visiting the area on a spring break trip, had come from Dewitt, Michigan with Decker's parents to stay in Canopy Walk for a few days. They later told authorities that they had left the residence where they were staying in order to return a rented movie and purchase some snacks, and that they upon their return, the password they had for the gate failed to work. One of the boys had just scaled the fence to activate the motion sensor inside the gate when they heard the crash.

The boys told authorities that they ran over to the car to help Lopez and Adams. Decker apparently got to work freeing Lopez while Vaughn called 911. "Some guy just got in this huge accident. We just heard tires screeching and spun off the road," Vaughn told the emergency operator, mentioning that there were two survivors trapped inside the burning vehicle. "Dude, this thing is going to blow up. We need to get out of here. Can I put the phone down? I need to help," he continued before abandoning the phone to assist in extracting Lopez from the car.

"We were able to get Tracy out safely and lay her down," explained Vaughn later. "The car wrapped around the tree in a way where [Adam's] legs were pinned. Fire was coming in and his foot was burned. It was all we had just to rip him out and drag his legs out and get him to safety. Then the car burst into flames."

Apparently, the teenagers broke one of the car's windows and manage to bend the car door frame with their bare hands in order to get the couple out of the vehicle before it exploded. By the time emergency workers involved, both victims had been safely extracted from the Jaguar. Fire fighters put out the blaze, which had spread to the trees that the car had hit, and Adams and Lopez were transported to Halifax Health Medical Center.

Decker and Vaughn were honored for saving the couple at a special ceremony at the Flagler Country Sheriff's Office on Thursday. "The actions of these teens may have saved the lives of this couple," said a sheriff during the ceremony. "They stayed calm, acted quickly, and then removed the victims, and themselves, from danger. These young men deserve our thanks and recognition."

Tracy Lopez's 18-year-old daughter seemed to agree with the sentiment. "If it wasn't for them, we'd be attending two funerals right now instead," she told the press.

Brandon Johnson of Pompano Beach, Florida has come forward claiming that police shot him for no reason as he was napping in his car. The 21-year-old man is currently recovering from serious injuries including an embedded bullet in his shoulder, chest wounds, and the loss of three teeth plus an entry and exit wound through his chin. It is not clear whether he plans on filing a lawsuit or has retained a personal injury attorney.

According to the arrest report by Detective Andrea Penoyer Tianga (of Police Women of Broward County fame) and Detective Ron Miller, they were on patrol on Northeast 29th Street in Pompano Beach on March 8 when the incident occurred. The pair allegedly saw a suspicious Toyota echo parked on the street with "a black male in the driver's seat... attempting to duck down in an effort not to be seen." In response, the officers say that they pulled their SUV in front of the Toyota, switched on the police lights on the vehicle, exited and approached Johnson's vehicle on foot.

Johnson, who was unarmed during the incident, claims that he was asleep in the driver's seat of the vehicle at the time. He explained that he had left his home after he got into an argument with a housemate and had spent the night in the vehicle. Although the police report mentioned that the car was borrowed, it did not mention to whom the vehicle actually belonged.

Regardless, Johnson says that without warning, one of the deputies fired at him, shooting through his mouth. "They didn't order me out of the car. As soon as she shot through the windshield and popped me in my mouth, I figured I didn't have to stay there no more anyways," Johnson told the press. "I put the thing in reverse and went over the speed bump and then I drove off with my head down. That's when the glass started popping everywhere."

The police report, in contrast, indicates that the officers fired after Johnson violently backed up towards them, hitting Penoyer Tianga and knocking her, uninjured, into a nearby parked vehicle.

The Broward Sheriff's office forbids its deputies from intentionally obstructing an oncoming vehicle, saying that deputies must attempt to get out of a vehicles way instead of opening fire. The only case when a deputy can open fire on a vehicle, it stipulates, is if the shooting is necessary to stop the driver from killing or seriously injuring someone.

While Detectives Pienoyer Tianga and Miller claim that this was the case, Rosetta and Willie Green, Johnson's aunt and uncle who have served as his guardians since childhood, told the press that they beg to differ. "The truth of the matter is, they were trying to kill him," commented Willie Green. "We know Brandon wouldn't attack the police. He was trying to get out of the line of fire," added Rosetta Green.

Johnson is currently facing charges of cocaine possession, for which he is due in court soon. He told officials that the drug belonged to a friend of his. He has been convicted of cocaine possession three times and resisting an arrest with violence once.

Gloria Adams, Timothy Dale and Jeffrey Miller were in a deadly Palatka, Florida three-vehicle crash on March 12. Dale, a Putnam Sheriff's candidate, died in the crash, which was reportedly set off by 77-year-old Adams. Miller and Angela Wynn were both injured. No charges have yet been filed as officials continue to investigate the car accident. It is not clear whether Adams has preemptively retained a private criminal defense attorney.

According to the police report, the incident occurred on March 12 just after 10 at night. Adams, while driving down U.S. 17 South in her 2009 Ford sedan, allegedly rear-ended a 1991 Ford Escort driven by 63-year-old Jeffery Miller. It is not clear whether the rear-ending was due to a lapse in attention, a sudden stop on the part of Miller, or some other factor.

As Adams' vehicle struck Miller's vehicle from behind, Miller's vehicle crossed the median, blocking 50-year-old Brown's path. Brown's 2005 Ford struck Miller's vehicle, and the impact caused Brown's vehicle to divert onto a shoulder and flip over.

It is not entirely clear whether Brown was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Adams and Miller were wearing seat belts, as well as Angela Wynn, who was riding in Miller's vehicle. Brown was taken to Putnam Community Medical Center following the car accident, where he was pronounced dead. Adams sustained minor injuries in the crash and was transported to Putnam Community Medical Center for treatment. Miller and Wynn both had to be flown to hospitals: Millar, in critical condition, was flown to Shands Hospital in Gainsville, while Wynn, who was in stable condition, was taken to Orange Park Medical Center.

Timothy Brown, who served as a police officer for 20 years and leaves behind three children, was one of nine Putnam sheriff candidates. Brown was running as a Republican in the primary, which will take place this August. He reportedly has a family history of police officers: both his father and grandfather served on police forces. On his website, he said that he would "provide the people of Putnam County with the level of service we deserve at a cost we can all afford" if chosen as sheriff.

A friend and co-worker of Brown's told the press that Brown was friendly and popular. "If you were around him, you just couldn't help but like him. He always had a smile on his face," the friend said, calling the accident "tragic."

This is not the only fatal car accident plaguing Florida this week. Gregory Todd Travers, 41, died in Davie, FL on Monday when his vehicle spun out of control on State Road 84. Travers' vehicle crashed into a bridge support and flipped over, leaving Travers with lethal injuries. When officials responded to a 911 call and reached the area, Travers' limping German Shepherd reportedly led them nearly a quarter of a mile to the crash site and helped them navigate the wreckage and locate Travers.

"I think the dog definitely meant to lead them there," said Davie Batallion Chief Robert Belizaire to the press. "I think he was out there looking for some help." The dog was taken to the Broward County Animal Shelter following the accident, but was later picked up by Travers' widow.

Jamie Allan Longwell of West Palm Beach, Florida crashed on March 13, seriously injuring Denyse Ann Gallitano and himself and killing an unidentified woman, according to the Palm Beach Sheriff's office. No arrests have yet been made, but an investigation is underway and charges may be forthcoming. It is not clear whether Mr. Longwell has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

40-year-old Longwell has been arrested before in West Palm Beach; jail records show that he was booked in October 2010 on charges of larceny, two counts of narcotics equipment possession and 24 counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. It is not clear what the outcome of the proceedings related to those charges were.

According to the car accident report, the crash occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, on Forest Hill Boulevard between Jog Road and Sherwood Forest Boulevard. Longwell apparently was driving west down Forest Hill Boulevard when he lost control of his 1986 Ford Mustang. The vehicle sped off of the road and hit a wall. It then spun off, hit a utility pole and flipped over.

Longwell, 47-year-old Gallitano, and another woman were all in the car at the time of the crash. None of the car's occupants were wearing seatbelts, and all were ejected from the vehicle during the crash. One woman was taking to Delray Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Her name has not been released, as her family has not yet been informed of the death. She reportedly lived with Longwell and the pair may have been in a romantic relationship.

Gallitano and Longwell were both in serious condition following the crash. Gallitano is being treated at the Wellington Medical Center, while Longwell is at Delray Medical Center. It is not known whether officials suspect that drug or alcohol use were factors in the crash.

Unfortunately, there have been a rash of fatal accidents in West Florida over the past several days. On Tuesday evening, a fatal accident at the intersection of Pike Road and Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach left two dead and least two others injured. According to the accident report, two women riding in a grey Nissan sedan were headed north on Pike when their vehicle collided with a red Honda SUV, which was traveling east on Belvedere road. It is not currently clear whether there are stop signs or a traffic light at the intersection, or what may have caused the accident.

The two women in the grey Nissan sedan were declared dead at the scene, according to a lieutenant from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. Their names and ages have not yet been released as authorities work to inform family members of the loss. Two occupants of the Honda SUV, whose names are also not available, were taken to Wellington Regional Medical Center for treatment. Investigators closed off Belvedere road in both directions where it intersects with Pike Road as they investigated the accident. It is not currently known whether either vehicle involved contained other passengers.

Raeann Trapp of Orlando, FL reportedly collided with Dannis Bish and Robert Martinausky in a car and motorcycle accident involving a Mustang and two Harley Davidsons on Saturday, March 10. The accident ended in Dannis Bish dead Martinausky and Bish's wife Jane wounded. Charges are pending in the case, which the Orlando police department and the Florida Highway Patrol are investigating. it is not clear at this time whether Trapp has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

The crash reportedly took place when Trapp, 16, turned left in front of the motorcycles. Several eyewitnesses to the accident say that Trapp turned directly in front of the motorcyclists, giving them no time to stop. One store worker who witnessed the crash says that she is surprised that Jane Bish and Robert Martinausky survived the wreck.

Trapp was reportedly wearing her seat belt at the time of the accident and was licensed to drive. She walked away unharmed, but authorities are expecting to file charges against her shortly regarding the fatal crash. It is not clear how charges would proceed since she is a minor.

The car accident reportedly took place at the intersections of Chuluota Road and Colonial Road at around 9:00 p.m. Trapp was trying to turn left from Colonial Road onto Chuluota Road in a Ford Mustang. She turned directly in front of Bish, who was riding his Harley Davidson with his wife, 53-year-old Jayne Bish, seated on the back. 52-year-old Robert Martinausky, another oncoming motorcyclist and a friend of the Bish's, managed to avoid hitting Trapp by dropping his motorcycle and sliding at an angle. Authorities believe that his evasive actions saved his life.

Dannis Bish was pronounced dead at Florida Hospital East immediately following the collision. The two surviving motorcyclists were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment. Jayne Bish was listed as in critical condition. Martinausky also suffered serious injuries. Their current states are not known. None of the three motorcyclists were wearing helmets at the time of the collision.

The motorcyclists were reportedly heading home from Bike Week activities in Daytona Beach with the "Nam Knights," the American Military Veteran and Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club. Bike week is an annual gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts including raffles and activities. Bish's Facebook page indicates he attended Bike Week events on Friday as well.

Bish was a father and an Orlando Firefighter who worked at Station 11 in the city. His co-workers describe him as reliable and fun, and say he will be missed. "We [called him] by his last name... [or] sometimes "Grumpy!" He was a great character! He was a lot of fun to work with, but when it came time to do the job -- he was there; and he was somebody we could count on," said Fire District Chief Mark Austin of his fallen comrade. "When it's our family that's involved-- then it hits home a little harder."

Florida only requires motorcyclists 20 years of age and younger to wear helmets when they ride. Many states require that all riders wear helmets, regardless of age, while some have lower restrictions, such as helmets for riders 18 or 17 years of age and younger. New Hampshire is the only state with no helmet laws at all for motorcycles. Florida repealed a stricter law requiring that all motorcyclists wear helmets in 2000, after which motorcycle deaths increased by almost 50%.

A new study by TRIP, a nonprofit transportation research group, suggests that Florida is the most dangerous U.S. state for senior drivers. The study is entitled "Keeping Baby Boomers Mobile" and is based on 2010 data. It found that 503 car accidents involved at least one driver aged 65 or older and that in those crashes, 271 of the senior drivers (nearly 54% of those involved in traffic accidents) were killed.

The data is particularly disturbing given the rising age of drivers, particularly in Florida. Currently around 20% of Florida drivers are 65 years of age or older, and Florida officials believe that 25% of Florida drivers will be senior citizens by 2030. The study notes that the Baby Boomer class, comprised of persons born between 1946 and 1964, will begin turning 65 in 2011 and that as the rest of the group follows over the next 15 years, the senior citizen population is expected to balloon by 60%.

Advocates concerned by the trend are speaking out about the need for preventative measures such as senior-friendly roads and traffic signs, alternative transportation options, safer vehicles and improved licensing screening. One group called Floridians for Better Transportation, comprised of engineers, road builders and businesses, has already voiced concerns about the situation. Matthew Ubben, the president of the organization, told the press that if data patterns continue, 2.5 million new residents over 60 years old will flock to Florida by 2030. "A lot of them will be retirees new to Florida, people who are used to driving in a different [state]," he explained.

Continue reading "The Danger of Florida's Elderly Drivers" »

John Reynolds of Lehigh Acres, FL has been released from the hospital after he was treated for minor injuries following a car accident on Wednesday. Theresa Elisabeth Achaval and Robert Colyer, who were driving the Mustang that cut into Reynold's path, remain in critical but stable condition. They are being treated at Lee Memorial Hospital.

The car accident occurred yesterday at roughly 10:30 a.m. Police believe that Archaval, 41,was turning from Hanna Avenue onto Lee Boulevard in Lehigh, driving a Ford Mustang with Coyler, 82, in the passenger's seat. She accidentally crossed in front of Reynold's Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which was going in the opposite direction. The collision ensued.

Reynolds, 36, was treated at Lehigh Regional Medical Center and released on the same day as the accident. He reportedly suffered minor injuries. Achaval and Coyler, on the other hand, had to be air-lifted to the Lee Medical Center on Med Flight, where they remain in critical condition.

The homicide team in Lehigh is investigating the crash. As of now, the crash is not believed to have been a DUI or DWI. No charges have yet been filed.