At least two children were hospitalized, one with life-threatening injuries, after a man accused of being under the influence slammed into them on a WaveRunner along Florida’s Gulf Coast this week, according to reporting from local media.
The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, near Madeira Beach where multiple adults were allegedly racing near where a man was riding a jet ski with two young children.
One man, identified by the Pinella’s County Sheriff’s Office as 48-year-old Daniel Patrick Grubert, of Piermont, New York, has since been charged with two counts of boating under the influence, causing serious bodily injury. Grubert was also charged with one count of reckless operation of a vessel.
Police accused Grubert of racing another jet ski and not looking toward the water in front of him as he sped through the waves on a rented 2024 Yamaha WaveRunner near Johns Pass. When he did turn around and notice the rented jet ski carrying Walter Wodzien, 45, of Mt. Prospect, Illinois, and the two children, 7 and 8 years old, he allegedly jumped off his vessel.
The three were rescued from the water by the Madeira Beach Fire Department and taken to a local hospital. At least one of the children was suffering from life-threatening injuries. Walter was not injured, according to police.
As of Friday, Oct. 17, police have not released the identities of either child or their conditions.
The investigation is ongoing.
Leesfield & Partners
With offices in coastal cities like Key West and Miami, Leesfield & Partners understands that part of Florida’s draw to tourists are the variety of water-related recreational activities. Such activities — jet skiing, boating, snorkeling, parasailing, etc. — can have a drastic impact on the lives of families and individuals if the proper precautions are not taken. Our skilled trial attorneys have tragically seen the toll of such accidents firsthand. It is a part of why Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, has been such a staunch advocate for improved safety measures such as boating education throughout the state. Additionally, Mr. Leesfield consistently champions sober boating and life jacket usage.
“The dangers from boating incidents are entirely underestimated as South Florida becomes more congested, drinking on the water becomes more prevalent and distractions from cell phones and other devices increases,” he said. “Important safety standards must be enforced on all watercrafts.”
Far too many of these preventable incidents have devastated families, causing 81 deaths and nearly 400 injuries in 2024, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 2024 Boating Accident Statistical Report. The area with the highest rate of incidents was Miami-Dade County, followed by Monroe County, where the firm has two of its three Florida offices.
In an article discussing such crashes, Partner Justin B. Shapiro explained that no other water-related activity produces more injuries than jet ski crashes. The reason is twofold — not enough people are prepared for the sheer strength needed to maneuver these watercrafts through the waves and, though they are marketed as “beginner friendly,” the reality is starkly different.
“As the summer months yield their inevitable slew of injuries, prospective renters should be aware of the life-threatening dangers of jet skis, and their attorneys should be intimately familiar with the many regulations that were enacted to keep them safe,” he said.
The firm is currently representing a woman who suffered spinal fractures and extensive bruising after she was struck from behind during a guided excursion with her cruise ship — by the very jet ski tour guide leading the outing.
That case is being led by Mr. Shapiro.
Of the more than 680 Florida boating incidents that occurred in Florida, 149 involved personal watercrafts such as jet skis. Over half of these incidents were caused by a collision with a fixed object, according to FWC data. In all, 12 people were killed and 113 were injured in jet ski-related crashes.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & partners’ six skilled trial attorneys have secured numerous multi-million dollar settlements for clients and their grieving families at the hands in nearly five decades.
In the last several years alone, the firm has secured more than $10 million in verdicts and settlements for clients injured as the result of jet ski crashes in the state.
One avoidable death that altered the life of a couple forever resulted from a Key West rental company flouting necessary safety training requirements, as mandated by law. The company failed to ensure that every one of their renters understood the safety tutorial and knew how to operate the personal watercraft that day. A French-speaking renter, who they did not adequately prep, fatally collided with the wife of a Leesfield & Partners client. The company failed to provide their customer with the translation he needed to understand how to use the jet ski.
Leesfield & Partners attorneys were able to secure a multi-million-dollar settlement for the family in that case.
In another jet ski crash, a man visiting from California with his family was seriously injured when he violently crashed into a concrete bridge piling. The man was on a guided jet ski tour with his family at the time. The guides, who are required to prep their customers for the strong currents they would face, led them through a narrow bridge opening and sped far away from them throughout the tour the day the man crashed.
Leesfield & Partners previously represented a jet ski crash victim who suffered serious injuries and obtained a $1 million recovery for that client.
The firm secured a $935,000 recovery for a client involved in a jet ski collision with a boat.
A $900,000 recovery was obtained for a client injured in an accident involving a jet ski company.
A jet ski crash case involving a rental company resulted in a six-figure settlement amount obtained for an injured Leesfield & Partners client.