"Leesfield & Partners"

Published on: September 4, 2024

Woman killed in ATV accident that sent herself, one other careening into Miami canal, officials say

A woman died after she and another woman lost control of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) resulting in them plunging into a nearby canal, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

Police told the newspaper that the crash happened around 1 p.m. Thursday near Southwest 112th Street and 157th Avenue. Both were rescued from the water and one was said to be in critical condition. That woman was taken to West Kendall Baptist Hospital where she later died.

Information about whether the second woman was injured or whether police believe the crash to be caused by operator or mechanical error was not immediately available Friday.

Published on: September 4, 2024

Police find Body Found in North Miami Nursing Home with Missing Patient. What Happened?

By Leesfield & Partners

A body was found in a closet at the same Miami nursing home from where a 71-year-old man was reported missing, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

Police were called out to the North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center around 10:30 a.m. Monday morning. The man who had been staying at the nursing home following a brain aneurysm was reported missing on Aug. 22.

Family members of the missing man told reporters with NBC South Florida that they believe the body found in the closet is that of their grandfather. The family claims they were told he signed a document refusing medical help. When they asked to see it, the family said the facility refused.

Published on: August 30, 2024

Miami-Dade Drivers Don’t Know School Traffic Laws, School Bus Cameras Footage Shows. What You Should Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Do you have to stop for a school bus in Florida?

In the first two weeks of school, approximately 11,500 Miami-Dade County drivers were cited after footage captured from 950 school district buses caught them disobeying traffic laws.

The cameras were authorized last year to add extra protections for students getting on and off buses during the school year. While laws already exist to ensure drivers who violate these laws are held accountable, the cameras were installed to reinforce the matter. The initiative is a collaboration between the local school district, the Miami-Dade Police Department and BusPatrol, a private company with programs in 17 states that manages the buses and the technology that captures the license plates of cars that illegally pass buses with deployed stop signals.

Published on: August 28, 2024

One person hospitalized after propane leak at Broward County Elementary School Monday

By Leesfield & Partners

An elementary school employee was taken to the hospital for evaluation Monday morning after a propane gas leak in the school’s cafeteria, officials say.

Emergency responders were called out to Oriole Elementary, 3081 NW 39th St. in Lauderdale Lakes, around 9 a.m., according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The call was allegedly made after someone at the school reported smelling propane.

Officials inspected the school and deemed it was safe enough for students and teachers to return to their classrooms.

Published on: August 26, 2024

Broward School Cafeteria Evacuated, Several People Hospitalized Following Possible Carbon Monoxide Leak.

By Leesfield & Partners

An entire school cafeteria was evacuated from a Broward County High School Friday morning for a possible carbon monoxide leak, officials said.

Five people were hospitalized and said they experienced symptoms of lightheadedness, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. None of the people who were taken to the hospital were students.

The issue began around 10:30 a.m. and emergency responders are checking the school’s carbon monoxide levels. While school officials said in a statement that the leak was “contained,” students were dismissed from classes early.

Published on: August 22, 2024

Girl, 3, drowned at Miami-Dade County Park in Hialeah over the weekend.

By Leesfield & Partners

A 3-year-old drowned Saturday in a lake at the Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah after she was separated from her family member, police say.

Alarm bells were sounded when the family member told park rangers they could not find the little girl. Park officials began searching and found the child’s body in one of the five lakes on the 515-acre property. Emergency responders took the child to Palmetto General Hospital where she later died.

In May, Miami-Dade County unveiled new enhancement plans for the park, including a new recreation center with a pool and splash pad.

Published on: August 22, 2024

Miami Gardens crash Wednesday leaves at least 10 people injured. A look at Miami Crash Data.

By Leesfield & Partners

A five-car pileup car crash Wednesday in Miami Gardens left at least 10 people injured, according to police.

The car crash happened Wednesday morning at an intersection near NW 27th Avenue and NW 199th Street. In reporting from NBC 6 South Florida, officials said it was a chain-reaction crash requiring multiple vehicles to be towed from the scene with considerable damage. The 10 people who were sent to the hospital had minor injuries.

Investigators are looking into what caused the crash and additional details were not immediately available Thursday.

Published on: August 20, 2024

Woman permanently injured after ‘stampede’ at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, lawsuit says

By Leesfield & Partners

A woman is suing Walt Disney World following claims she was permanently injured in a “stampede” that ensued before an event at its Magic Kingdom park.

The alleged incident that injured the Pennsylvania native took place on June 25, a day that saw the park “packed and extremely busy,” her attorneys claim in a premises liability lawsuit filed on Aug. 12. The park, filled with storybook characters and sprawling streets inspired by the idyllic, early-20th century hometown of the company’s namesake, sees millions of visitors a year and approximately 52,000 people a day.

The woman claims she was walking down Main Street, U.S.A., a two-block, brick-lined pathway flanked on either side by shops and restaurants leading to the iconic Cinderella’s castle, when the incident occurred. The woman was “rushed” by a crowd and knocked to the ground where she was then stampeded over. Her attorneys claim in the filing that the theme park corporation was negligent in failing to warn her of the possible danger and failed to control the crowd that had amassed in that area.

Published on: August 19, 2024

Forewarning about dangers of E-Bikes from Leesfield & Partners Founder rings true years later following incident spike

By Leesfield & Partners

Parked along every street corner or perched against the sides of South Miami buildings, taunting drivers sitting in grid-locked traffic on U.S. 1, is a cluster of e-scooters for rent.

The “epidemic,” as Ira Leesfield, the Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners, first dubbed it in 2019 has become the cause for concern for councilmembers, politicians and safety advocates across the United States and abroad. Without licensing, insurance or age requirements, the drivers of electric scooters and bikes can go anywhere they please, meaning sidewalks, streets, pedestrian paths and more.

“Being unsightly may not be unforgivable, but landing innocent pedestrians or others in a neurosurgical coma is,” Leesfield said. “Not to mention a slew of other reported serious injuries … Just ask those who work at Hospitals and Emergency rooms or walk-in medical facilities.”

Published on: August 19, 2024

One dead in efficiency fire at Miami-Dade County home early Monday morning

By Leesfield & Partners

A fire that broke out overnight at an efficiency apartment in Miami killed at least one person, according to police.

Emergency responders were called out to the house at 3056 SW 13th St. around 2 a.m., according to reporting from local news outlets. The efficiency where the body was found is located behind the home. A name or other identifying details have yet to be released as of Monday morning.

The property is meant for one, single-family unit, according to property records obtained by The Miami Herald. Neighbors told reporters from CBS Miami that they often see the unit rented out to different people, some with carry-ons and other small luggage, suggesting a short stay.