A Florida driver is facing felony charges after police say he was driving drunk, causing a fiery crash that killed the other driver.
The crash happened around 3 a.m. Sunday between a Dodge Durango and a Chevy Silverado pickup truck in Pasco County. The driver of the Dodge was going the wrong way down State Road 56 when he crashed “nearly head-on” with the pickup truck, according to Florida Highway Patrol. Following the crash, the pickup truck overturned and caught fire. The driver of that vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man driving the Dodge Durango and at least one other passenger in that car were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The man was charged with DUI manslaughter and DUI property damage following his release from the hospital, officials said.
Leesfield & Partners
Managing Partner and Founder of Leesfield & Partners, Ira Leesfield, has become a public safety advocate in his 48 years dedicated to numerous areas of personal injury practice in Florida including road safety. He has published several op-eds in local news organizations such as The Miami Herald discussing the obvious dangers and delving into potential liability scenarios surrounding impaired and or distracted driving. The state’s highway patrol reported over 50,000 crashes last year due to distracted driving.
In addition to raising awareness around distracted driving and its repercussions, Mr. Leesfield has also worked with Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Miami-Dade County to advocate for safety, victim’s services and accident prevention through The Leesfield Family Foundation.
Data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shows there have been 1,610 total fatalities on Florida roads in 2024 with 130,723 injuries reported. In Miami-Dade County, where Leesfield & Partners has its landmark building on South Dixie Highway, there have been over 15,000 injuries reported for this year with 148 fatalities. About 5,258 impaired crashes were recorded statewide from 2018 to 2022, according to FDHSMV numbers.
Attorneys with the firm have represented thousands of clients injured or killed due to crashes on the road. From crashes with uninsured motorists that have caused painful injuries to families who have been irreparably damaged by another driver’s recklessness, Leesfield & Partners attorneys have guided families through countless cases over the years and have done so with diligence and creative legal strategy.
One case handled by Leesfield & Partners attorneys involved the tragic death of a young woman who was on her way to the airport with her family to attend her medical school’s orientation. A drunk driver on I-95 who was speeding and going the wrong way hit the family head-on, causing the death of the young woman and catastrophic brain and orthopedic injuries to her brother. Following the crash, the brother has been unable to speak, needing both a wheelchair and round-the-clock care. Attorneys were able to secure a record-setting verdict of $57 million for the son and $38 million for the parents resulting in a combined $95 million award for the family whose lives were forever changed as a result of an impaired driver.
Another wrongful death involving a motor vehicle crash handled by attorneys with the firm resulted in a $36,960,000 award for a grieving family.
Attorneys with the firm also guided another family through a devastating case involving the death of a young wife and mother visiting Florida from Canada. The woman was trying to cross the street when she was crushed by a pickup truck whose driver admitted to not seeing her. The case was mediated with an $8.5 million settlement with the defendant after a $27 million arbitration award.
About The Leesfield Family Foundation
The Leesfield Family Foundation was started in 1990 as a channel for the Leesfields to give back to their community with the idea being for Ira Leesfield to emulate the community in which he was raised. The foundation’s motto, “generosity, warmth and reassurance,” echoes how that community never shied away from helping each other. Through the foundation’s work of relentless devotion to public service, the Leesfields have been recognized by local and national organizations across the board including the Anti-Defamation League, the Florida Justice Association and The American Jewish Committee. The Leesfields also work with the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global initiative.
In its 30 years, the foundation has made an indelible impact both in the United States and abroad with grants, scholarships, community support and disaster relief.