A woman died after her car careened into a Broward County canal following a crash, police said.
Police were called out to the crash around 6 a.m. Wednesday in Cooper City after they received 911 calls about a car in the canal. The driver allegedly crashed into a bridge barrier and plunged into a nearby canal.
There were at least two people in the car at the time of the crash, including the woman who was driving and a man who was able to make it out of the car, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.
The woman was identified as 23-year-old Caitlynn Heron and the man in the car was identified as her boyfriend. The boyfriend was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Additional details, including what may have caused the tragic incident were not immediately available Thursday.
Crash Data
In 2024 in Broward County, where Wednesday’s crash took place, there have been approximately 27,270 total crashes with 150 of those incidents being fatal, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ crash dashboard, which collects data on various crashes throughout the state. Of the 150 fatal crashes, 160 people died. In 2023, there were 210 fatal crashes with 215 fatalities. In 2022, there were 276 fatal crashes with 288 people who died.
In Miami-Dade County, where Leesfield & Partners has one of three Florida offices, there were a total of 292 fatal crashes in 2023 resulting in 309 fatalities. In 2024, there were 192 fatal crashes, with 201 fatalities.
Automobile Crash Cases
As personal injury attorneys, Leesfield & Partners regularly represent the victims of crashes on Florida roads from drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and or bicyclists injured in cases of distracted and or impaired driving. A Leesfield & Partners case involving a pedestrian struck in the roadway resulted in a recovery amount of $6 million for the injured client. In that case, our client was heading back to her office after a midday break. She was in a marked crosswalk when a truck driver making an illegal left turn hit her. She suffered severe injuries such as a skull fracture and brain hemorrhages. The driver in that instance claimed not to see her.
In today’s fast-paced and technology-driven world, there are a myriad of reasons why a person would be distracted, however, when behind the wheel of vehicles, the stakes are far too high to allow your attention to wander. A case handled by the firm in which a driver was distracted by their car’s GPS had catastrophic consequences for our client, a bicyclist stopped on the shoulder of the Overseas Highway in Monroe County. The Firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, secured a $5,350,000 settlement for the client injured in that case.
A family visiting the state from Canada was represented by Leesfield & Partners following the tragic and avoidable death of a young mother and wife as she attempted to cross the street. The woman was crushed by a pickup driver whose driver said they did not see her. The case was mediated with an $8.5 million settlement with the defendant after a $27 million arbitration award.
A tragic case involving the permanent injury of a Leesfield & Partners client, a 34-year-old mother of three, happened when a speeding car ran over the woman’s vehicle. She had permanent brain damage following the horrible crash. Attorneys with the firm were able to obtain a $5,300,000 settlement for the woman.
If you or a loved one was involved in a wreck on Florida roads, call a Leesfield & Partners attorney today at 305-854-4900.