Florida

Published on: October 3, 2025

Driverless Car in California Commits Traffic Infraction. Who is Responsible?

Police in California say they witnessed an illegal U-turn while on patrol for drunk drivers but couldn’t issue a citation to the driverless vehicle.

The incident happened over the weekend in San Bruno, California, and involved a car from Waymo, an autonomous driving technology company that operates a public robotaxi service in various cities throughout the U.S. Police said they stopped the vehicle after it committed the traffic violation “right in front of them.”

Once stopped, police said that, while they could not issue a citation to a driver, they did notify the company of the “glitch.”

Published on: September 24, 2025

‘Unsafe Practices’ Allegedly Found at University of Miami Organ Agency. Here’s How Leesfield & Partners Has Represented Victims of Medical Negligence for 49 Years.

By Leesfield & Partners

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced this week its plans to decertify Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency, a major organ procurement organization (OPO) in Miami, following its federal investigation that allegedly uncovered years of “unsafe practices.”

The Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency is a division of the University of Miami Health System and is purported to service hospitals across South Florida and the Bahamas. Life Alliance is one of 55 nonprofits designated by the federal government that coordinates the transplantation of organs around the country. They are regulated by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, according to local media reporting.

In addition to unsafe practices, the investigation revealed “poor training, chronic underperformance, understaffing, and paperwork errors.”

Published on: September 24, 2025

Nearly 100 People Displaced by Fire at Miami Beach Hostel. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

About 100 people were displaced after a fire broke out at a Miami Beach hostel Monday night, officials say.

Firefighters were called out to the South Beach Rooms and Hostel at 236 Ninth St around 5:15 p.m., according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The fire was contained to the second floor and was extinguished.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Published on: September 24, 2025

Coroner reveals cause of man’s rollercoaster death in Florida. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A man who died after riding a rollercoaster at one of Orlando’s newest amusement parks died from blunt force injuries, according to an Orange County medical examiner.

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, died due to “multiple blunt impact injuries,” according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The manner of his death has been ruled as an accident.

The incident happened on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at Epic universe when Zavala was found unresponsive after riding a rollercoaster. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Published on: September 18, 2025

Construction Site Accident Injured Two in North Miami Beach.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least two workers are hospitalized following an electrocution incident that caused one of them to fall nine stories at a construction site in North Miami Beach, according to local media.

The incident happened around 9:30 a.m. Monday at a building under construction near the 16300 block of Biscayne Boulevard. Both men were on a lift that malfunctioned, electrocuting one of the men and sending the other plummeting from the ninth floor of the residential building.

Officials told reporters with WSVN that the lift’s motor “blew out,” causing the incident. The man who was electrocuted is in stable condition while the other man is in critical condition, according to media.

Published on: September 18, 2025

Cutler Bay House Fire Leaves One Dead and Another Injured. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Investigators have not released what they believe to be the likely cause of a Cutler Bay house fire that killed at least one person and left another hospitalized Friday.

Fire officials were called out to the blaze around 5:50 a.m. for a home on the 9700 block of Montego Bay Drive. When they arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from all sides of the home and rescued at least one person from inside, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. One other person self-evacuated.

Emergency responders took both people to the hospital where one of them was pronounced dead. As of Friday afternoon, the condition of the survivor had not been released.

Published on: September 4, 2025

Woman Dead After Dog Attack in Miami. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Police continue to investigate after an elderly woman was found dead Monday morning following a dog attack a dog attack in Miami Gardens, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

Investigators have not released whether or not the woman was mauled by one animal or several and no name has been released as of Wednesday morning. The woman was found unresponsive by police around 7:40 a.m. with multiple dog bites in a lot at the 1400 block of Northwest 196^th Terrace.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Published on: September 4, 2025

Four People Rescued from Water After Boat Capsized Over Labor Day Weekend in Miami, officials say.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least four people were pulled from the water Sunday afternoon after their boat capsized near Haulover Inlet in Miami, according to reporting from local media.

All four were found sitting on the overturned hull of their 25-foot boat around 4 p.m. The boat was found nearly seven miles short of Haulover Inlet.

No Injuries were reported in this incident though Miami-Dade Fire Rescue teams have taken this as the opportunity to remind boaters to check the weather conditions before setting out on the water, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. Additionally, boaters should ensure they have a VHF radio on board that is turned to channel 16 — the quickest way to radio for help if in distress on the water.

Published on: September 2, 2025

18-Vehicle Crash with Tractor-Trailer on I-95 Results in Dozens of Injuries, Cops Say

By Leesfield & Partners

At least 29 people were hurt and over a dozen more were hospitalized after a crash on Interstate 95 in Miami-Dade Thursday night, according to local media.

About 18 vehicles were involved in the crash after a tractor-trailer allegedly failed to stop in a congested area of Ives Dairy Road around 11:25 p.m.

Of the 13 people who were hospitalized, 10 were adults and three were children. At least one adult was taken to a local hospital as a trauma patient, according to local media.

Published on: August 22, 2025

Neighbor angry over bus stop placement uses sprinklers on students with disabilities, police say.

By Leesfield & Partners

Police say a man is facing charges after he sprayed students with disabilities using his sprinkler system during a dispute over a neighborhood bus stop in Ocala.

Antonio Roman, 61, was charged on Aug. 17 with four counts of stalking, two counts of battery on a disabled person and two counts of battery.

Since at least Aug. 8, 2024, police say Roman activated his sprinklers twice a day to “intentionally spray the family who lived next door,” officials with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office told Miami Herald reporters. This allegedly occurred specifically when two students with special needs were loaded and unloaded from the bus stop. Police told reporters that the father began wearing a swimsuit to “shield his children from Roman’s sprinklers.