Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Boca Raton, Florida - Maureen Stevens and her three children received a $2.5 million settlement for their Palm Beach County, Florida wrongful death action against the United States government. As Miami, Fl. wrongful death lawyers, we appreciate the relief and closure this type of settlement can bring to a family. The law suit alleged inadequate security at a US Army biological lab allowed someone to steel the deadly anthrax used in the attack. Our Miami Fl. negligent security lawyers handle cases involving death and serious injury as a result of inadequate security throughout the atate of Florida and have recovered millions of dollars in Miami Florida crime victim's compensation.

Maureen’s husband, Bob Stevens, was working for American Media Inc. in Boca Raton when he fell victim to a deadly anthrax attack. Seventeen other employees, including his co-worker Ernesto Blanco, also suffered from anthrax terrorism in the fall of 2011. Although the government denied liability, an FBI investigation named a government employee as the sole person responsible for the biological attacks.

If someone you know has been injured or killed anywhere in Florida as a result of negligent security, contact one of our Miami, Florida inadequate security lawyers at Hannon & Boyers today for a free consultation or call (800) 545-9100 to speak with an attorney.

Miami – 19-year-old University of Miami student Ivanna Villanueva spent the summer partying at trendy South Beach night clubs Wall, LIV and Arkadia. However, last month the college freshman’s nightly escapades turned deadly when her car collided with another vehicle, killing the driver, 68-year-old McDonald’s manager and grandmother Eyder Ayala. Our Miami, Fl. car accident lawyers, know how to locate critical evidence to prove this type of case.

Receipts show that at 2 a.m. on the night of the crash Villanueva purchased two shots of Patron silver tequila at Arkadia night club. Court documents show that earlier in the evening she was at Sugarcane Raw Bar in Midtown. Prosecutors say she had also been to LIV, a swank night club located in the Fontainebleau known for attracting celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan.

Villanueva headed home at nearly 4:30 a.m. on Sunday Oct. 2. Her 2011 Audi Q5 sped down Le Jeune Road in Coral Gables at over 80 mph, 40 mph over the posted speed limit. At the same time, Eyder Ayala was returning home from working the night shift as a manager at McDonald’s in her Ford Focus.

Ayala was driving in the inside lane on Le Jeune Road when police say Villanueva crashed into her with such force that the trunk of Ayala’s Ford was crushed into the passenger compartment. The impact was so strong that the cars were propelled 400 feet past the point of the collision.

Ayala’s car was completely crushed so that witnesses could not open the windows or doors to attempt to rescue her. By the time emergency vehicles arrived, Ayala was dead due to excessive trauma to her forehead.

Villanueva’s blood alcohol level measured .231; over three times the legal limit. Police also found a fake driver’s license and what they suspect to be a bag of marijuana in her car.
Villanueva was arraigned on Oct. 25 and has been charged with DUI manslaughter and a third-degree felony count for carrying a fake ID. She faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Villanueva pleaded not guilty and remains under house arrest with a tracking ankle bracelet. She is permitted to attend classes at UM where she is a Communications major.
Ayala’s family has hired Miami, Fl wrongful death lawyers to file a lawsuit.

Florida ranks third in the nation for DUI fatality rates for both adult and underage drivers. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the probability of a fatal accident rises significantly after the 0.05 blood alcohol level is reached. Furthermore, drivers under the age of 21 are more vulnerable to the impairing effects of alcohol than older drivers, increasing the chances that a collision with a teenager driver under the influence of alcohol will be fatal.

Continue reading "Miami, Fl - Car Accident Kills 68 year old Grandmother - UM Student Charged with DUI Manslaughter " »

Miami, Florida - premises security lawyers like those at Hannon & Boyers represent the victims of violent crime and their families when the criminal conduct was a result of inadequate security.

Early Wednesday morning, Secrets nightclub in Northeast Miami-Dade County was once again the scene of a shooting. This time one man is dead and another was injured.

According to reports, at approximately one o'clock in the morning, two men came out of an adult nightclub known as Secrets located on Biscayne Boulevard and 113th Street, when shots were fired at them.

It was thought that there was more than one shooter. The assailants fled.

One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene. The other crime victim was shot in the foot and transported to a nearby hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Incredibly, just a few weeks earlier, a young man and his girlfriend were shot in the parking lot of Secrets nightclub after a patron tried to run them over.

Nightclubs are frequently the scene of violent crimes along with gas stations, ATM machines and any business establishment or apartment complex that does not have adequate security.

Continue reading "Miami Florida Shooting - Second One In Weeks at Secrets Nightclub" »

Palmetto Florida - Two people were shot to death and 22 others were wounded in a shooting incident early Saturday outside of a Tampa area nightclub known as Club Elite located at 704 10th St. W. Our Florida negligent security lawyers are experienced in representing victims and their families in cases involving nightclub shootings.

Twenty-five year old Trayon Goff of Palmetto was found dead outside the club’s front door. Another victim who was also killed by gunfire, 38 year old Gwenette Matthews of Bradenton, was found inside the club, according to the Palmetto Police Department. Of those wounded, the six with the most serious injuries were taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. 16 others were treated at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

One of the victims who was taken to Bayfront was listed as being in critical condition in the intensive care unit as of Saturday afternoon. According to Margaret Ballou, administrator on duty at Bayfront, two other victims were listed in good condition, and three others had been discharged.

Lt. Scott Tyler of the Palmetto Police Department said “We are pretty sure the shooting took place outside of the club,” said . “We believe there were at least two shooters and we are aggressively working on some leads.”

Police preserved such evidence as the shell casings, witness statements, and blood trails, and also obtained a surveillance video from the club.

Club Elite was the scene of another shooting in December that left one man dead.

Anyone with information about the crime can call the Palmetto Police Department at (941) 723-4587 or Manatee County Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-8477.

Continue reading "Manatee County Nightclub Shooting Incident Leaves 2 Dead, 22 Wounded" »

Parents rely on cribs as a safe haven - a secure place to leave babies unsupervised while they tend to other responsibilities. According to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics, cribs are not nearly as safe as we think.

Cribs, playpens and bassinets are responsible for injuries to 26 babies each day (9,500 every year) in the United States. Those figures do not take into account the approximately 100 crib-related infant deaths ("crib death") that occur each each year.

The author of this study, Gary Smith is also the director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He says that “cribs are unique among other children's products. Parents expect to be able to place a child in a crib and know when they walk away that child will be safe. We need to hold cribs to much higher safety standards as opposed to baby equipment you are supposed to only use with parental supervision.”

The study focused on the number of injuries in children under the age of 2 who were treated in hospital emergency rooms for crib-related injuries between 1990 and 2008. It's authors relied on data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Many more children are treated in doctor's offices or urgent-care centers and those cases are not even included in the study.

Continue reading "Dangerous Cribs - New Study Shows Cribs Responsible For Many Injured Babies" »

BROWARD COUNTY — A tractor trailer crashed into two parked cars along U.S. 27 killing two and causing serious injuries to four others early this morning according to Florida Highway Patrol.

The two cars, a 1998 Acura Integra and a 1994 Honda Civic, were apparently stopped side by side when the truck hit them and crushed the rears of both cars according to investigators.

The accident happened about 12:30 a.m. and closed the roadway to northbound traffic for more than 6 hours.

Witnesses are being interviewed and a detailed investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the deadly crash.

FHP Sgt. Mark Wysocky said they are "investigating to see if there was some sort of racing going on." Police have not yet released the identity of the two people who were killed in the truck accident.

Anthony Perez, 19, of Miami was air-lifted to North Broward Medical Center in critical condition. Raymon Garcia, 18, of Virginia Gardens was taken to Broward General Medical Center in serious condition. Angel Lazo, 18 and Matthew A. Forman, 19, both of Miami Springs were transported to Broward General Medical Center in serious condition.

All of the occupants in both cars were wearing seatbelts, according to investigators.

The tractor trailer driver, Placid Ferdinand, 42, was not injured and his passenger, 47 year old Sandy Kay Ferdinand was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Continue reading "Miami-Dade Teens Injured - Two Others Killed When Tractor-Trailer Crashed Into Their Cars On U.S. 27 In Weston" »

Miami Beach - Tour bus accident leaves woman dead. A female pedestrian was hit by a private tour bus as she crossed the street this morning at the intersection of Collins Avenue and 10th street in South Beach. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the bus accident.

Collins Avenue was blocked to traffic from Ninth to 11th Street while police investigated the crash.

It appeared that the woman had been carrying a green grocery shopping bag and wearing a straw hat. Both were found at the scene. Police said the woman appeared to be in her sixties.

Continue reading "Miami Beach - Tour Bus Hit And Killed Woman Crossing Street" »

Miami - A shooting in the parking lot of a Miami apartment complex left three people wounded and a teenage girl dead Sunday evening. Police originally referred to this tragic incident as a "drive-by shooting," however, sources close to the investigation revealed that the assailants exited their car and began shooting. The fifteen year old girl is believed to have been an innocent by-stander.

Miami-Dade Police Department's homicide investigators were initially told that four men riding in a gray Nissan Maxima or Altima fired the fatal shots.

Police said The shooting occurred just after 6:45 p.m. when Nissan arrived at the Annie Coleman apartment complex located at 2135 NW 52nd Street. According to detectives, the car pulled into the courtyard and several shots were fired from what is believed to be an AK -47 assault rifle, leaving a young girl dead and three others wounded.

The identity of the girl who died at the scene is not yet known. The others who were wounded in the shooting were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Witnesses said the girl was shot in the head while playing outside with friends.

The shootings come about a year after an incident a short distance away on Jan. 24, 2009, in which a gunman armed with an AK-47 assault rifle shot into a crowd killing two and wounding seven others.

``It's a process. It's a cycle -- a vicious cycle,'' said neighborhood activist Renita Holmes. ``There's no respect for life.''

Neighbors, who spoke on condition on anonymity for fear of their lives, said the shooting was gang-related. A police spokesperson said that it was too early to tell whether that was the case.

Det. Rebeca Perez urged anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Speaking of the teenage victim, Perez lamented, ``What could she have possibly done to deserve this?''

Continue reading "Miami - 15 Year Old Girl Shot and Killed in Apartment Complex Parking Lot" »

The Miami based law firm of Hannon & Boyers has been retained by two Danish businessmen who were guests at the Epic Hotel, located at 270 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Miami, Florida 33131. Shortly after staying at the Epic Hotel they began to exhibit signs and symptoms consistent with Legionnaires' Disease. Our clients are currently undergoing medical treatment and evaluation to obtain a definitive diagnosis.

The Miami-Dade County Health Department has reported at least three other cases involving guests at the Epic Hotel who developed Legionnaire’s Disease including. One involved a fatality. According to published reports, it appears that the Epic Hotel installed a water filtration system that allowed waterborne bacteria, including the legionella bacteria to grow. Legionnaires' Disease is usually contracted through exposure to contaminated water vapor from hot showers, Jacuzzis and hot tubs.

It appears that the CDC and other governmental entities have not confirmed the source of the Legionnaire’s Disease, which resulted in at least one death. However, they have reported that this fatal strain of the disease may be linked to a source other than the Epic Hotel.

One family tragically lost a loved one, Tore Myhra, who not only stayed at the Epic Hotel but had also been on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship during the relevant period. It is believed that more than one person on that cruise ship contracted Legionnaires' Disease. Accordingly, any investigation regarding the source of illness during the pertinent period of time must explore both the culpability of the Epic Hotel and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Continue reading "Legionnaires' Disease Linked to Epic Hotel and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Vessel " »

Pompano Beach, Florida - One man is dead and was injured in a shooting outside of a Pompano Beach apartment complex.

The fatal shooting occurred Saturday evening when two men who were outside an apartment complex on Avondale Drive were approached by one or more persons. Shots were fired and the victims were transported to North Broward Medical Center in Deerfield Beach where injuries to one of them proved to be fatal.

The shooting is being investigated by BSO homicide detectives. They asked anyone with information to call BSO Homicide Det. Frank Ilarraza at 954-321-4210 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477, or online to www.browardcrimestoppers.org.

Many violent crimes are "crimes of opportunity", meaning they are committed in the place which affords the perpetrator the best opportunity to avoid being seen or caught. Very often that place turns out to be a commercial property like an apartment complex, night club, bank or automated teller machine (ATM) where safety and security have been neglected.

Continue reading "Pompano Beach Shooting Leaves One Dead, One Injured" »

A Fort Lauderdale train accident claimed the lives of two women and left one man critically injured on November 19th when a 325-ton Tri Rail train slammed into a gold Toyota Camry which had stopped on the tracks on Commercial Boulevard.

Forty-four year old Connie Hamblin and her passenger 22 year old Felicia Hatmaker of Tennessee were both ejected from the car and killed according to Fort Lauderdale Police. Another occupant of the Toyota, Eddie Hamblin, also of Tennessee, was transported to North Broward Medical Center in Deerfield Beach in critical condition.

This railroad crossing lies between two very busy intersections -- Powerline Road to the west and the southbound I-95 ramps to the east.

Traffic often backs up onto the crossing in both directions when the traffic lights at those intersections turn red.

At least two attempts to address this hazard either were unsuccessful or were never fully implemented.

The Florida Department of Transportation in 2000 tested a concept called a ``European X'' -- a box about the size of a car with an X painted on the roadway just beyond the crossing in each traffic lane. The idea was that if drivers could see the X as they approached the crossing, they would be able to safely cross.

The X markings are no longer on the pavement there and the Miami Herald reported that no one at the FDOT could recall the results of that experiment.

The DOT had also announced plans to install cameras at that crossing and at crossings at McNab Road, Cypress Creek Road, Powerline Road and Prospect Road.

The cameras were designed to send an instant signal to the train operator to slow down if a motorist is stalled. But train operators balked presumably at the idea of cameras preserving evidence of their own negligence.

There have been seven railroad accidents involving automobiles at the Commercial Boulevard Tri-Rail crossing since Tri-Rail began service in 1989. Those accidents resulted in three fatalities and two serious injuries.

All of those accidents involved Tri-Rail trains but one involved an Amtrak train.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Train Accident Kills Two And Critically Injures Another" »

Broward County, Florida - A three-vehicle accident on I-595 left one man dead and another in critical condition, according to a spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol.

The fatal motorcycle accident occurred shortly after 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. According to FHP, two motorcycles were eastbound in the left lane near Hiatus Road and a four-door Kia, driven by twenty-two year old Erica Vieira Borges of Sunrise was eastbound in the center lane ahead of the motorcycles.

Reports indicate that when the Kia merged into the left lane, one motorcycle, operated by twenty-five year old Josue Rene Robles Duprey of Miramar, struck the rear end of the Kia.

Duprey was thrown from his Yamaha motorcycle, which slid across the highway and came to rest in an exit lane.

Borges' Kia left the roadway and struck a guardrail. When it attempted to move back onto the interstate, it was hit by the second motorcycle which was operated by twenty-two year old Shaun L. Pasley of Miramar.

Pasley was thrown from his Honda CBR 1000 motorcycle. Both Pasley's motorcycle and Borges' Kia then caught on fire.

Pasley and Duprey were transported to Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. Duprey did not survive and Pasley was in critical condition even though both motorcyclists were wearing helmets.

Erica Borges appeared to have suffered only minor injuries.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of this fatal accident.

Continue reading "Broward County Motorcycle Accident Leaves One Dead And One In Critical Condition " »

Miami, Florida - Drowning is the number one cause of death among children in Miami-Dade County. With Summer approaching, more children will be in or near swimming pools, at beaches, water parks and lakes. This increased exposure to water coincides with an increase in the number of drownings. For this reason, it is extremely important that children are taught about water safety.

The Miami-Dade Fire Department has responded to 199 drownings since January 2007. Most of those involved children under 16 years old and 32% involved children under 5 years old. In Miami, most drowning incidents occur between 11:00am and 6:00pm peaking between 3:00pm and 4:00pm. The majority of Miami drownings and near drownings occur in the Summer months from May through August. MDFR has already responded to 11 drowning incidents just since January of 2009.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue has prepared the following list of Summer Safety Tips to help keep our children safe:

• Always think of the ocean, lakes and your pool as dangerous places.
• Always directly supervise children when they are in a pool or around any body of water. Young children can drown in just a few inches of standing water. Bathtubs and large buckets also pose a threat. Most childhood drownings occur without an adult immediately present.
• Keep a phone at poolside so you don’t have to leave the kids to answer the phone and so you can call 9-1-1 immediately in case of an emergency.
• Never assume that swimming lessons or flotation devices can completely protect a child from drowning. Don’t have a false sense of security!
• Install alarms on all doors that lead into a pool area so you will know if a door to the pool has been opened.
• Secure long hair to the head, braid it, or cover it with a cap. Long hair can get suctioned into defective pool drains and vacuum lines.
• Make sure that all family members learn how to swim and what to do if they see someone in trouble in the water.
• Have your family members learn CPR. Drowning victims have a better chance of surviving if they get assistance right away.
• Know and comply with the Florida and Miami-Dade County statutes for pool fencing and pool safety. Pool fencing has been proven to save the lives of many children.

Continue reading "Miami - Drowning Is #1 Cause of Death Among Children" »

Miami, Florida - Officials from Miami-Dade County's Health Department have launched an investigation to determine the cause of death of two infants who died on consecutive days at Miami Children's Hospital. The infants died in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

Fermin Leguen, the medical executive director of the Health Department acknowledged that it is very unusual for two infants to die on consecutive days in the same hospital because of an infection.

Vincent Conte, a senior physician from the epidemiology and disease control unit said he was contacted by the hospital on Monday morning and notified that "two babies had died from what they assumed was some sort of infection and that another infant was ill." Conte said the third baby who was infected with the bacteria is improving but is still facing a number of other medical problems.

The hospital released the following statement on Wednesday:
``The hospital extends deepest sympathy to the families of the babies. We have taken all appropriate precautions to protect the health and safety of our patients and families. We continue to examine this matter in detail. At this time, the results of our examination are inconclusive. Due to privacy laws we are unable to give specific patient information.''

We trust our hospitals to care for the most vulnerable in our population and there is no more vulnerable segment of our population than premature infants in a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. When hospitals fail to take reasonable precautions to protect these fragile patients, they are negligent and the harm which results can be devastating to families.

Continue reading "Miami, Florida - Two Infants Dead at Miami Children's Hospital" »

Miami Beach, Florida - Mario Reyes, 59, was killed Saturday while crossing the street when he was hit by a Bentley driven by NFL wide receiver, Donte Stallworth.

Initial reports indicate that Stallworth may have been driving while under the influence of alcohol at the time although blood alcohol test results have not yet been released.

Reyes was described by his brother-in-law, Francisco Fajardo as a family man who spent all of his free time with his wife of almost twenty years, Catalina and their fifteen year old daughter, Daniela.

Renier Calana, who worked with Reyes unloading cargo containers at the Port of Miami for Bernuth Agencies, a shipping company, told reporters that Reyes was going to the bus stop.

Stallworth signed a $35 million contract with the Cleveland Browns before last season and was scheduled to receive a $4,750,000 signing bonus on Friday.

While no amount of money can ever replace a husband or father, Florida's wrongful death statute provides an avenue for Mr. Reyes' family to recover monetary compensation which can help family members pay for the funereal and cope with the lost household income.

Continue reading "Miami Beach - Mario Reyes Killed When Struck By Bentley" »

Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak - An investigation of peanut butter and its link to a nationwide outbreak of salmonella has expanded with the Kellogg Co. (K) voluntarily recalling sixteen of its products and federal officials confirming salmonella contamination at a facility in Georgia that ships peanut products to 85 different food companies.

Earlier this week Kellogg asked retailers to remove some of its Keebler crackers from store shelves as a precaution. However, in a statement released late Friday, the company announced that it was voluntarily recalling the crackers and other products in light of the problems in Georgia.

The salmonella outbreak has made hundreds of people in 43 states sick and killed at least six.

Kellogg's president and CEO, David Mackay said "the actions we are taking today are in keeping with our more than 100-year commitment to providing consumers with safe, high-quality products. We apologize for this unfortunate situation.''

Included in the recall are Austin and Keebler branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, as well as some snack-size packs of Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies.

Consumers are advised not to eat any of the products in question and to contact a doctor if they have any symptoms. The tainted products should be carefully disposed of to avoid the risk of homeless people finding and eating them.

According to the FDA, new cases are still being reported.

Although some brands have been linked to the outbreak, the FDA says the investigation is ongoing and more products may yet be recalled.

The investigation includes baked goods and other products that contain peanuts and are sold directly to consumers in addition to peanut butter. According to health officials, approximately one-third of the people who got sick had no recollection of eating peanut butter.

''The focus is on peanut butter and a wide array of products that might have peanut butter in them,'' said Dr. Robert Tauxe, director of the foodborne illness division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Officials said they are focusing not only on peanut butter, but also on peanut paste produced at a Peanut Corp. of America facility in Blakely, Ga. The inclusion of peanut paste is significant as it can be used in numerous products.

Six deaths have been linked to the outbreak by health officials in Minnesota, Virginia, Idaho and North Carolina. The exact cause of death in each case had not been determined, however, each person had salmonella when they died.

According to the CDC, typhimurium , the bacteria involved in the outbreak, is fairly common and not an unusually dangerous strain. The elderly and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk though.

Common symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps.

Continue reading "Nationwide salmonella Outbreak - Peanut Butter Recall Includes Keebler And Famous Amos Cookies" »

Miami, Florida - A Miami Beach aviation accident involving a Chalk's seaplane three years ago has spawned New York and Miami, Florida product liability lawsuits. Two such lawsuits were recently filed against the manufacturer of the seaplane alleging that the Grumman Turbo Mallard seaplane was defective.

Chalk's Ocean Airways, the former seaplane airline, and its insurance company, AIG have both sued the manufacturer of the aircraft, alleging that it's design was dangerous and defective, causing the airplane crash that killed 20 people including the crew.

The federal court lawsuits in Miami and New York, claim that the 58-year-old seaplane manufactured by Grumman -- now Northrop Grumman -- was ``not adequately designed for its intended purpose.''

Chalk's attorneys claim that the airline was forced to go out of business by the defective nature of this airplane.

A spokesperson for Northrop Grumman, the Los Angeles based manufacturer, refused to comment on the lawsuits.

The Chalk's seaplane caught fire and crashed into the water off Miami Beach on Dec. 19, 2005. The flight was bound for Bimini, a small island in the Bahamas.

In May 2007, the National Transportation Safety Board investigation determined that the plane crash was caused by the separation of the plane's right wing. It also found that Chalk's deficient maintenance program was also a contributing cause of the crash.

Chalk's owner claims that the the cracks were caused by the plane's defective design and had nothing to do with it's maintenance program. The suit papers allege a manufacturing defect with the rivets where the wing separated from the fuselage and that they were in an area that is enclosed and cannot be inspected.

AIG paid $50 million in damages to the survivors of the crash victims. It filed a separate lawsuit against Northrop Grumman for subrogation essentially seeking reimbursement of the money it had to pay out.

In December 2005, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all Grumman G-73 aircraft still registered in the United States until a determination could be made that the airframes were structurally sound.

No other commercial operators were still using these seaplanes. The last Mallard seaplanes were manufactured in 1951.

Chalk's never had a fatal accident before the crash in 2005.

Continue reading "Miami, Florida - Product Liability Lawsuits Filed Against Seaplane Manufacturer " »

Broward County, Florida - A Broward County truck accident claimed the life of a Palm Beach County Fire Rescue lieutenant Saturday evening.

Forty-three year old Tony Falzarano of Plantation was killed when his 2008 Mini Cooper collided with a tractor-trailer on the Sawgrass Expressway according to FHP.

Falzarano was a rescue lieutenant with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue.

The fatal truck accident occurred just after 7 p.m. Saturday in the northbound lanes of the Sawgrass Expressway just south of Atlantic Boulevard.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the truck, had pulled over onto the shoulder because of a blown tire. The truck driver, 38 year old Ricardo A. Duran Parra, of Loxahatchee called his supervisor and was told to drive the truck to the Atlantic Boulevard exit and wait there.

Duran Parra told investigators that he checked for traffic and pulled back into the right lane. He said he didn't see the Mini Cooper, and ''all he felt was the impact upon traveling in the right lane,'' FHP said.

The front of the Mini Cooper collided with the left rear of the tractor-trailer. Falzarano's injuries proved to be fatal.

Falzarano had worked for fire-rescue for approximately 9 years, most recently as a rescue truck supervisor, according to Palm Beach County fire-rescue Captain Don DeLucia.

There were no witnesses to the crash.

Continue reading "Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Lieutenant Killed In Truck Accident On Sawgrass Expwy." »

Broward County, Florida - A mid-air collision of two flight school planes Saturday above the Florida Everglades left four people dead.

Investigators resumed their search for the bodies of the four people who were killed when the two aircraft collided over the Everglades in West Broward.

The aircraft, a single-engine Cessna and a twin-engine Piper, slammed into each other Saturday afternoon in an area where South Florida flight instructors regularly take students to practice.

Among those killed in the aviation accident were Stuart Brown, a flight instructor, Bryan Sax, of Colorado, and Edson Jefferson, a pilot from Miramar.

The fourth victim has not yet been identified.

The Cessna took off from North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines and the Piper took off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

''From what I understand, radar shows the two air-crafts merging,'' Eric Alleyne, an aviation safety inspector with the National Transportation Safety Board, said of the midair collision. ``Right now we need to get the aircraft out and see what we are actually dealing with.''

The radar data will be important in figuring out what caused the plane crash.

Police used air-boats to reach the crash site.

Police had not released the identity of the victims, but three were identified by friends and relatives.

25 year old Brown, a flight instructor from Pembroke Pines and his student, 30 year old Jefferson from Miramar were on board the Cessna.

37 year old Sax of Aspen Colorado, the student and one unidentified person believed to be a flight instructor with Airline Transport Professionals Corp. of Wilmington, Del. were on board the Piper.

One relative was understandably upset.

''We just want rescuers to get the bodies out of that swamp as soon as possible; that's our main concern now,'' said Brown's aunt Sharon Burton-Lofton of New York.

Meg Fensome, vice president of the Pelican Flight Training Center at North Perry Airport, confirmed that Brown was the instructor killed along with a student aboard the school's Cessna.

She declined to release any more information for now.

Continue reading "Florida Everglades Plane Crash Kills 4" »

Miami, Florida - Traffic homicide detectives from the Miami-Dade Police Department are investigating a hit-and-run accident that occurred early Saturday morning and left a passenger dead and the driver in serious condition.

The Miami car accident happened around 2:00 a.m. The two victims were east bound on Southwest 42nd Street near 132nd Avenue when their car was hit by another vehicle and then slammed into a tree.

The passenger was killed instantly. The driver was air-lifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

Police are searching for the driver of the other vehicle which was described as a silver Suzuki sedan or sport utility vehicle. Anyone who has information regarding this crash is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Continue reading "Miami-Dade Hit-And-Run Leaves One Dead And One Seriously Injured" »