Motor Vehicle Accidents

Published on: October 15, 2012

Boater Charged With Manslaughter After Passenger Dies

Two years ago, over the July 4th holiday, Eulices Alvarez Barrios tossed a drunken Domingo Vilalta, 22, off of his idle boat, leaving the passenger to fend for himself in the “busy” Intracoastal Waterway. Vilalta died when he was caught by the propellers of a nearby vessel and “slashed to death”. Recently, Miami-Dade prosecutors charged Barrios with manslaughter for throwing Vilalta off of his boat.

According to Barrios’ defense attorney, the whole event was an accident. While aboard Barrios’ boat, Vilalta, who was drunk and under the influence of drugs, thrust the boat’s throttle and sent the boat forward. The sudden force of the boat forced a woman overboard, where she and another woman were almost “cut to ribbons” by the boat’s propellers. Barrios then kicked Vilalta off the boat. Barrios left the scene believing, as did everyone else aboard the boat, that Vilalta had boarded a friend’s nearby boat.

Barrios did not Vilalta when he came aboard his boat; instead, Vilalta came along with two female passengers. The boat left for the Intracoastal Waterway sandbar to meet up with other boats. According to prosecutors, Barrios hosted a party boat and provided the music and liquor to his passengers. Vilalta was smoking marijuana and “acting obnoxious” towards women at the sandbar party. Barrios’ boat left to get some dinner around 8:00 p.m. When Barrios put the boat in neutral to check something, one female passenger hopped into the water, and Vilalta forced the boat forward, almost injuring the women. The women swam to a nearby friend’s boat while Barrios “sprang into action,” shutting off the engines and chastising Vilalta. Barrios hurled Vilalta, who was not wearing a life vest, into the water. Vilalta landed near the boat that the women had boarded. Barrios pointed to the other driver, a friend of his, and instructed him to let Vilalta board. All passengers on Barrios’ boat believed Vilalta had boarded the boat. One witness stated that she saw Vilalta clinging to the front of the other boat but believed he eventually boarded the boat. Both boats drove away when one passenger noticed Vilalta was not on either boat. Both drivers searched for him and called police. Vilalta’s body was found two days later. Barrios faces 15 years in prison if convicted.

Miami boating death case goes to trial, www.miamiherald.com August 29, 2012

Published on: October 12, 2012

Sixteen Children Injured In School Bus Accident

by Friedland | Carmona

Yesterday, a U-Haul truck backed into a school bus carrying forty school children and knocked the bus on its side. Sixteen of the children were injured. Two of the children were taken to a nearby medical center with “serious but non-life threatening injuries,” ten more were taken to other local hospitals for non-serious injuries and the remaining four were treated on-scene.

The U-Haul was backing out of a driveway when the bus approached. There was a lack of communication between the driver of the U-Haul and her daughter who was directing her out of the driveway, which caused the U-Haul to crash into the school bus. The bus driver did attempt to swerve to avoid the U-Haul but was unable to avoid the collision. The U-Haul collided with the “right side of the school bus by the rear right axle, causing it to spin and ultimately roll onto its left side blocking both traffic lanes.” The crash remains under investigation.

17 hurt in Victorville, Calif., school bus crash, www.miamiherald.com October 12, 2012.

Published on: October 10, 2012

Twenty-Three Passengers Injured When Bus Overturns

by Friedland | Carmona

Twenty-three passengers were injured when their tour bus crashed in New Jersey on Saturday. Five of those who were sent to the hospital in critical condition have since been released. Three others in critical condition have been upgraded to fair condition. Two of the victims are children, state police have confirmed. All injured passengers were taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center.

Police are unaware as to what caused the crash, but the bus overturned on an exit ramp on Interstate 80. The bus driver informed police that another driver had cut him off. The bus slid down the embankment and flipped onto its side. The bus was heading to New York City, coming from Toronto, Canada, and had fifty-seven passengers aboard.

This bus accident is the latest in a series of bus accidents on American highways in recent years. Last year, thirteen people died when a bus crashed into a New York City guardrail, flipped over and hit a signpost that “sliced off the top of the bus.” The driver is facing manslaughter charges.

3 remain hospitalized after bus overturns in NJ, www.miamiherald.com October 07, 2012.

Published on: October 4, 2012

Two Dead After Plane Crashes Near Chicago Airport

by Friedland | Carmona

Two men are now dead after a single-engine plane crashed earlier this week into a wooded area near Chicago International Airport. The single-engine Cirrus SR22 plane left from Smyrna, Tennessee and crashed just before noon on Wednesday. The Lake County Coroner’s Office took possession of the bodies for autopsies, but the Gary Police has not released the victims’ names yet.

The Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Director said the owner of the plane and the passengers aboard remain unknown. The plan is registered to Gandy AIR LLC, which is located in St. Augustine, Florida. The passengers are still being identified and officials will then try to locate the families.

Neighbors heard the crash and corresponding explosion around 11:15 a.m. “I went to the door and opened the door, I saw a plume of smoke and then I heard sirens,” said neighbor Luther Jackson. Delores Hinton was working on her car when she saw the plane above. “I said, ‘what was that?’ The next thing I know, it was down,” she stated. Initially, when the plane went down, investigators were unable to access and secure the scene because of hazardous materials being contained.

Police: 2 dead after small plane crashes in Ind., www.miamiherald.com October 3, 2012.

Published on: October 3, 2012

Tri-Rail Train Crashes in Delray Beach, 1 Dead

by Friedland | Carmona

Earlier today a Tri-Rail train crashed into a car at Linton Boulevard and the CSX tracks, leaving a car passenger dead. No one on the train sustained any injuries. Police were called in the early morning hours regarding the accident, and when they arrived, they were initially unable to locate the car because of the “significant” distance the train had dragged the car. Police have yet to determine if there was more than one passenger in the car, but the driver of the car was pronounced dead.

Preliminarily, police believe the driver of the car tried to bypass the gate as it was lowering its arms to allow the train to pass. Due to the increase in the number of suicide by train, the police are looking into the driver’s motive behind the accident; police are trying to determine if the driver was suicidal or was simply trying to save time by beating the train. Buses were brought to the accident scene to transport passengers to their respective locations.

Tri-Rail hits car, 1 killed in in Delray Beach, www.palmbeachpost.com October 3, 2012.

Published on: September 27, 2012

Ten Injured In Orlando Bus Crash

by Friedland | Carmona

Earlier this week, eighteen-year-old, Keeshay Pruitt, was driving her 1996 Pontiac Grand Am down the westbound lane of 42nd Avenue in Orlando. After stopping at a stop sign, Pruitt sped out and cut off the Lynx bus that was travelling down the road. The Lynx bus driver, Lynee Butler, attempted to swerve out of the way, but there was not enough time for her to stop. The Lynx bus smashed into Pruitt’s Grand Am, forcing the Grand Am to crash into another Pontiac on the road.

The accident shut down south Rio Grande Avenue for two hours. Ten victims sustained major injuries, including both drivers, a passenger of one of the cars, the bus driver, and six bus passengers. The victims were sent to several different Orlando area hospitals. Florida Highway Patrol and Orange County Fire Rescue used the Jaws of Life to cut Pruitt from the Grand Am. Pruitt sustained the most severe injuries of all of the victims, but is expected to survive. Another victim was treated at the scene of the accident but was not transported to the hospital.

Police are still trying to recreate the accident scene and identify the remaining victims. Once the police have identified the victims, they will release the names publicly. Pruitt was issued a ticket for failing to yield the right of way.

10 people taken to hospital after crash involving Lynx bus, www.orlandosentinel.com September 26, 2012.

Published on: September 26, 2012

Broward Driver Dead After Bus Crash

by Friedland | Carmona

Forty-nine year old Paul Marino, Sr. died after crashing his Hummer H3 into a Palm Tran bus earlier this week. The Palm Tran bus was driving southbound on North Federal Highways, between Northeast Spanish River Boulevard and Northeast 20th Street when it stopped around 3:00 p.m. to allow passengers to exit. As the bus halted, Marino’s Hummer failed to stop and crashed into the rear of it.

The driver of the Palm Tran and a few passengers were injured in the crash, although none sustained major injuries. After the accident, Marino was taken to Delray Medical Center in critical condition and was declared dead shortly after arrival. Police have assigned a traffic homicide investigator who is looking into the accident.

Boca Raton man dies in wreck involving Hummer, Palm Tran bus, www.palmbeachpost.com September 25, 2012.

Published on: September 25, 2012

Two Dead, One Critically Injured In Tallahassee Car Crash

by Friedland | Carmona

Two are dead and one victim remains in critical condition after a nighttime crash in Tallahassee. The Tallahassee Fire Department was called around midnight to a crash on Blounstown near Bayberry Lane. The driver of a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier lost control of the vehicle, veered off of the road, struck a utility pole and then crashed into a tree. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.

When the car crashed into the tree, a twenty-six year old male passenger and a two-year old boy were ejected from the vehicle. The male passenger was declared dead on the scene, while the toddler was pronounced dead from his injuries later in the evening at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. The third passenger, a twenty-four year old female was also taken to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare where she remains in critical condition.

DTwo dead, one in critical condition after late night crash, www.tallahassee.com September 24, 2012.

Published on: September 24, 2012

Bonita Springs Man Left Handicapped After Motorcycle Accident

by Friedland | Carmona

Thirty-five year old Thomas Labelle was driving his 2002 Harley Davidson motorcycle down Interstate 75 when he lost control and struck a cable barrier. The collision with the barrier completely severed Labelle’s right arm. Labelle was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital via helicopter after the 6:15 crash for medical treatment. Other news sources report that Labelle also might ultimately lose his leg as a result of the crash.

According to Florida Highway Patrol, Labelle was following Andrew Adame’s Ford Taurus down Interstate 75 on his motorcycle and the two vehicles were both driving faster than the 70 mph speed limit and were changing lanes frequently. Adame stepped on his brakes as he approached slower traffic ahead of him, forcing Labelle, who was following closely and riding without a helmet, to make a sharp left to avoid colliding with him. Labelle’s motorcycle drove into the median and struck the cable barrier. Labelle’s motorcycle flipped over the cable and Labelle was thrown off of the motorcycle. While midair, Labelle’s arm clipped the cable and was severed. Labelle landed in the median. Adame fled the scene, but was later brought back and is facing charges.

Bonita Springs man severs arm in motorcycle crash on I-75, www.naplesnews.com September 24, 2012.

Published on: September 21, 2012

Driver Pleads Guilty After Killing and Injuring Key Biscayne Cyclists

by Friedland | Carmona

Michele Traverso crashed into Aaron Cohen and Enda Walsh as the two were riding their bikes along the Rickenbacker Causeway on an early February morning. While Walsh was severely injured after being struck by Traverso, Cohen died at the scene. Traverso had been driving with a suspended license at the time of the crash and surrendered himself to police eighteen hours later. While there were reports that Cohen had been drinking in Coconut Grove before the crash, police were unable to ascertain his blood alcohol level because of the time lapse between the crash and Traverso turning himself into police.

Traverso was in court earlier this week to deal with the charges against him: leaving the scene of an accident involving a death, leaving the scene of an accident with great bodily harm and driving with a suspended license. He pleaded guilty to all the charges, as well as an additional cocaine charge but received no plea deal. He faces a maximum of 35 years in prison for his crimes but could serve as little as 22.8 months.

The accident, which came almost two years after a similar hit and run accident on the Rickenbacker Causeway reignited calls for increased safety for cyclists and runners. Other cyclists erected a billboard in Cohen’s honor to bring attention to bicycle safety. Cohen’s family has filed a lawsuit against Traverso’s father, who owns the car Traverso was driving when he struck and killed Cohen. The damage amount the family is seeking has not been reported.

Driver pleads guilty in hit-run bicycle crash on Rickenbacker, www.miamiherald.com September 19, 2012.