Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
An Atlanta man has been charged following a July 25 boat crash that injured at least three people in Biscayne Bay off Bay Harbor Islands, according to media reports.
The 42-year-old was charged with reckless operation of a vessel, leaving the scene of an accident, and tampering with evidence, according to reporting from WSB-TV Atlanta.
The crash happened around 1 a.m. near West Broadview Drive and 103rd Street, Local 10 News reported. It involved a 39-foot Donzi allegedly operated by Lawson that carried multiple passengers and a 20-foot Angler that carried at least three people. All three passengers aboard one boat were injured and taken to the hospital following the crash, according to previous reporting from local media.
Additional information, including how many people were aboard the Donzi boat were not immediately available.
Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are investigating the crash. Anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Leesfield & Partners, a personal injury law firm with offices in coastal cities like Key West and Miami, has 50 years of experience handling cases in which people have been injured on the water. Whether injured following vessel mechanical failures or a preventable crash, our attorneys work diligently to ensure that the best possible outcome is secured for every client.
Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner and a National Board of Trial Advocacy-certified attorney, has consistently spoken out about the need to improve safety on the water.
“The dangers from boating incidents are entirely underestimated as South Florida becomes more congested, drinking on the water becomes more prevalent and distractions from cell phones and other devices increases,” he said. “Important safety standards must be enforced on all watercrafts.”
Lucy’s Law
As of July 1, 2025, boaters who flee the scene of an accident, do not provide assistance to others, or give false statements to first responders face stricter penalties. This came about with the passage of Lucy’s Law — named after deceased high schooler Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez who died following a 2022 Boca Chita boat crash.
If a boater is involved in an accident where another person was seriously injured and flees, then that person can face a second-degree felony charge. If the injured person dies, then the boater can face a first-degree felony charge.
If the accident involved property damage and the boater flees, then that person can face a second-degree misdemeanor. If found to be providing false information to first responders, then a boater could also be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor.
The law further aligns penalties for boating under the influence with those for driving under the influence.
This move was commended by the attorneys and staff at Leesfield & Partners who have seen far too many families suffer the consequences of boating accidents.
“I think these are long overdue changes,” Partner Justin B. Shapiro told reporters at the time. “We have seen far too many fatalities and grievous injuries from boating crashes over the years.”
FWC data shows that there were 694 reportable boating accidents throughout the state in 2025, the year with the latest data publicly available. In these accidents, at least 51 people died and 437 others were injured. Monroe County was the area in the state with the highest number of boating accidents and injuries. There were approximately 72 accidents with one death and 56 injuries in Monroe County in 2025. The most common collision type in Florida was a collision with a fixed object. FWC reported that more than half of operators involved in fatal accidents in 2025 did not have formal boater’s education.
Leesfield & Partners: Consistently Represents Boating Accident Victims
Leesfield & Partners attorneys handle numerous tragic and preventable boating cases every year. Mr. Shapiro and Evan Robinson, a Trial Attorney at the firm, are representing a teen who suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of a water tubing accident.
Mr. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Eric Shane are representing a young girl who was enrolled in a South Florida summer camp when her leg was sliced by a boat propeller.
Leesfield & Partners is also representing those affected by the tragic sailboat-barge crash in Miami on July 28, including 13-year-old Erin Ko, who tragically died, and 7-year-old Calena Areyan Gruber, who survived.
That case is being handled by Mr. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Bernardo Pimentel II.
Previous Boating Cases
Previously, the firm secured a substantial settlement in a case involving a minor who lost a leg while not being supervised on a vessel.
The firm previously handled the case of a family whose young son was snorkeling when he was hit and killed by a passing boater. The boater in that case was also a minor who should never have been given permission to operate the vessel without supervision. Not only did this minor not stop, but he attempted to cover up evidence and lied to police when questioned.
Neighbors later testified that this minor regularly operated the boat in a reckless manner.
The firm represented the family of a young woman, 20, who tragically died when the vessel she was on crashed into a concrete dock. The firm secured over $1.3 million for the family when it was revealed that the boat operator had been drinking and speeding the night of the crash.
In a jet ski and boat crash, Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured $935,750 for their client.
In a boat case involving a foreign resort, the firm secured an $800,000 recovery for the injured client.
Another boating accident involving a negligent operator resulted in a $500,000 recovery.
In addition to boating accident litigation, Leesfield & Partners have represented the victims of various water-related accidents, including drownings, jet ski crashes, parasailing, and other recreational activities.
The firm represented the widow of a man who drowned while on a boat tour at the Dry Tortugas National Park. The company’s tour guides instructed the man where he should go to snorkel and, within minutes, his body was found unresponsive.
The firm secured a six-figure recovery in that case.
Mr. Pimentel represented the family of a young man and father-to-be who was lobster diving when he was killed by a law enforcement officer who negligently failed to adhere to divers-down flag laws.
