"Personal Injury Law Firm"

Published on: March 17, 2025

Elderly Rhode Island Man Accused of Sexually Abusing Minor at Florida Resort.

A 72-year-old from Rhode Island has been accused of sexually abusing a child in a lazy river at an Orlando, Florida, resort, according to reporting from the Miami Herald.

William Francis Chatel faces charges of lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim under 12 years of age.

The first incident happened on March 9 when the girl said a man, later identified by police as Chattel, came up to the child and assaulted her at least twice over the course of her family’s stay at the resort, reporters said in the article. The child later reported the incidents to a parent who allegedly filmed him attempting to swim up to two other unaccompanied children in the lazy river.

Published on: March 17, 2025

Miami ‘BusPatrol’ Citations Cause Controversy Following Thousands of Citations. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A program meant to enforce school bus laws was met with outrage from thousands of drivers who were issued citations and prompted a response from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

As of Friday, March 7, the program was suspended for citations given to those who passed school buses on roads with a median, according to a statement from Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz, who took office in January 2025.

“When I became Sheriff, I ordered a review of the program,” Cordero Stutz said in the post Tuesday, March 11 via X. “The review led to me announcing last Friday the suspension of median enforcement citations.”

Published on: March 13, 2025

Field Near Miramar Elementary School Inadvertently Becomes Landing Strip for Small Plane. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A small plane crash-landed in an emergency at a field near an elementary school in Miramar Wednesday, according to WSVN in Miami.

The incident happened just after 1 p.m. near Coconut Palm Elementary School. Two people were on board but were not injured. While the plane did sustain some damage, the school’s property did not.

The school did not go on lockdown when the aircraft – a Piper PA-28, a plane typically used for flight training, air taxi and personal use – landed.

Published on: March 13, 2025

Medical Examiner Concludes Detroit Children Found Dead in Frigid Van Died of Carbon Monoxide.

By Leesfield & Partners

A Detroit medical examiner concluded that two unhoused children found dead in their family’s van died from carbon monoxide and not the cold, as authorities initially believed.

The official cause of death for the children, 9-year-old Darnell Currie Jr. and 2-year-old A’millah Currie, was certified Wednesday. On Feb. 10, the children were found unresponsive in the family van by their mother after the vehicle stopped running. The children, their mother, their grandmother, two siblings and their mother’s sibling were allegedly living in the van at the time, according to reporting from The Detroit Free Press.

The five children in the van ranged in age from 2 to 13 years old.

Published on: February 26, 2025

If You’re a Fan of Supplement Shakes and Got Sick, This Might Be Why. See Which of These Products Were Pulled from Shelves.

By Leesfield & Partners

A deadly listeria outbreak has been linked to frozen supplement shakes present at long-term care facilities.

The outbreak of Listeria, a bacterial infection that can cause nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, has been connected to frozen supplement shakes sold in 4-ounce cartons under the brands Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial. As of Monday morning, the shakes have been linked to the deaths of at least 11 people. These products were made by Prairie Farms Dairy at its Fort Wayne, Indiana, facility.

The best-by dates on the allegedly affected products range from 02/21/2025 to 02/21/2026. If a business owner or corporation believes they are in possession of the recalled shakes, they can return them to the seller for a refund or throw them out, according to reporting from the Miami Herald.

Published on: February 21, 2025

Father Faces Felony Charges After Letting Teen Drive Before Fatal Florida Crash, officials say

By Leesfield & Partners

The father of a 15-year-old boy who is accused of killing three children and a woman in a high-speed crash now faces felony charges for allowing the unlicensed teen take his car, according to reporting from the Miami Herald.

Richard Ferguson, 68, was charged Thursday with four counts of vehicular manslaughter in connection with the 2023 fatal crash. This is a second-degree felony that, if convicted, could carry up to 15 years in prison and/or up to $10,000 in fines.

The State Attorney’s Office also issued an arrest warrant for the teen, though it was not immediately clear whether or not he had been arrested as of Friday morning. He has yet to be named by authorities.

Published on: February 13, 2025

Animal Caretaker Mauled by Dogs in Alabama While Owner was Out of Town

By Leesfield & Partners

A woman died from her injuries after a pack of dogs she was caring for attacked her while the owner was out of town, Alabama officials said.

The incident happened on Feb. 6 in Tuscaloosa County when a 46-year-old caretaker went into the property to feed the dogs.

Florida Law

Published on: February 13, 2025

Teen Assaulted on Airplane Documented the Incident for Authorities. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A 17-year-old girl was groped aboard a JetBlue airplane flying from Puerto Rico to Boston by a father of four and photographed the incident as it occurred for police.

Now the man accused of the assault is facing charges.

The man, flying with his wife and children, allegedly reached in between the seat cushions of a young girl in the seat in front of him on Aug. 30. The girl used her cellphone to take pictures as he allegedly reached into her seat.

Published on: December 31, 2024

Women Rescued After Falling into Florida Golf Course Quarry. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Two women have a harrowing tale of how they spent their 2024 Christmas holiday after falling 50 feet into a Citrus County, Florida, golf course quarry.

The women, who have not been named, fell into the cavernous quarry on Christmas Day and were found Thursday morning. Both were in stable condition, according to reporting from the Miami Herald and were taken to a local trauma hospital.

Temperatures dropped to around 50 degrees that night. Additional details, including how many hours the women spent awaiting rescue, were not immediately available Friday morning.

Published on: December 27, 2024

One dead, five others injured in Broward boat explosion, officials say.

By Leesfield & Partners

Footage of a boat explosion that killed one man and injured five others has gone viral online, with witnesses telling reporters the vessel exploded while it was refueled.

The incident happened Monday, just days before the holidays, around 6 p.m. at the Lauderdale marina, according to reporting from the Miami Herald. At least one other boat caught fire in the incident. The explosion took place near the 15^th Street Fisheries, a nearby restaurant that frequently attracts tourists and boaters alike.

At least three of the five people who were hurt had traumatic injuries. The body of Sebastien Gauthier, 41, of Quebec, Canada, was found in the water by officials with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Monday night.