Boater in Deadly Biscayne Bay Hit-And-Run Crash Found, police say
Police say they have found the boat they believe was involved in a hit-and-run boat crash on Biscayne Bay that killed a father and injured his son last week in Miami, according to local media.
Police did not name the owner of the boat or say who was operating the vessel the night of the deadly crash.
An Indian tourist has been identified as the man who died Wednesday, March 16, while scuba diving, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.
Abhinav Lamba, 43, was found in distress by a commercial dive crew on Molasses Reef at around 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 16. The crew brought him onto their boat and performed CPR while taking him to shore. Emergency responders took him to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier where he later died.
An autopsy will be performed to determine a cause and manner of death, however, officials told reporters that they do not suspect foul play.
Following the deaths of at least 29 people on Key West and Stock Island streets from 2018 to 2024, the Key West City Commission adopted a comprehensive Safety Action Plan, according to reporting from Keys News.
The plan — which was voted on last week and has been developed by city staff in collaboration with the University of Florida over the last year — aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2035. In it, officials plan to crackdown on illegal e-motos on city streets congested with tourists, cyclists and other pedestrians. While sometimes marketed as e-bikes — micromobility devices with their own host of issues that have gained traction over the last decade — e-motos have no pedals, use throttle-only motors, and can reach speeds from 40 to 70 mph.
Data presented paints a sobering reality — while bicyclists and pedestrians only account for about 8% of total crashes in the city they also account for 26% of all fatalities and serious injuries related to crashes. From 2018 to 2024, officials at the University of Florida found that there were just shy of 300 crashes resulting in a fatality or serious injury in Key west. Officials were also able to identify areas and intersections that were a part of this “high injury network.”
Leesfield & Partners filed a lawsuit this week on behalf of a man who was ejected from his bike following a crash on Stock Island with a commercial truck driver.
“This driver’s one moment of inattention has left my client with life-altering injuries,” said Bernardo Pimentel II, a Trial Attorney at the firm. “This frightening incident has left him in severe pain, causing a disruption to his daily life and happiness.”
The incident occurred just after 2 p.m. on Jan. 13 as our client was approaching the intersection of College Road, where he had the right-of-way to proceed. At the same time, another man behind the wheel of a commercial truck was approaching from the opposite direction and failed to yield, plowing through the intersection and making an illegal left turn. In doing so, this driver hit our client, who was then ejected from his bicycle and sent into the air before eventually falling onto the hood of another vehicle. He was then thrown onto the road.
At least four people were taken to the hospital after a boat hit a channel marker in the Florida Keys Friday afternoon, according to local media.
Emergency responders were called out to the crash around 4:45 p.m. of Tavernier where a boat had hit a channel marker and ejected at least six people. Other boaters in the area helped pull two people from the water, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.
At least two of the four people who were injured were taken via helicopter to Jackson South Medical Center in Miami-Dade County and two others were taken to mariners Hospital in Tavernier.
A Florida Keys family that narrowly escaped a Jan. 19 fire and lost their home in the blaze is being bolstered by their community.
“We’re just glad we were there and we and all the other neighbors did what anyone would,” one neighbor, also a principal at a local school, told reporters with Keys Weekly.
The neighbor was with two others when they noticed the smoke at around 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 19. Since it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, many schools and offices were closed for the holiday.
The story of Leesfield & Partners, a Florida personal injury law firm, is nearly inseparable from Monroe County and the Florida Keys.
“I was sort of thrust into the law by an eviction notice on my mom’s apartment when I was about 12 years old,” said Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, in a recent interview with Miami Today. “We couldn’t afford the rent, and she was a single mom with three children … My mom was standing there in tears, and I said to myself, ‘this is not the place I want to be for the rest of my life.’ I wanted better circumstances and to help others get to a better place as well.”
The law, he went on to tell reporters, was a good place to start. Following law school, Mr. Leesfield found himself trying his first-ever case in Key West in 1973. This was also the first trial in Florida under the state’s newly adopted comparative negligence law. That landmark case not only shaped the direction of Florida jurisprudence but also began the firm’s enduring commitment to the Keys community.
Monroe County, a cluster of islands off Florida’s southern coast, is accustomed to an influx of tourists during events like Halloween, but, this year, the sheriff is emphasizing one priority above all — public safety.
In an advisory posted Monday, Oct. 20, to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office official Facebook page, Sheriff Rick Ramsey noted that the increased crowds in the keys in the week leading up to Halloween might cause traffic and other issues.
“So, look for officers giving you directions, but, more so, look for these kids who dart out of nowhere … ” he said. “Put your phones down, no distracted driving.”
Firefighters in the City of Marathon raced against the clock Wednesday morning to extinguish a boat fire in a residential driveway before the flames could spread to the home, according to local reports.
Emergency responders were called out to the 200 block of Camino Road in the Middle Keys just before 2 a.m. for reports of a fire. When they arrived, they found a 20-foot Sea Pro vessel that was engulfed in flames in the driveway of the home. Deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office had allegedly attempted to put the fire out using fire extinguishers because it had “begun to char the front of the house,” according to reporting from The Miami Herald.
Thankfully, the home was not occupied, and firefighters were able to out the flames. While shutting off power to the home, firefighters discovered damaged wires. It remains unclear whether the damage sparked the fire or was caused by it.
It’s not uncommon to see someone cruising down the streets of historic Key West on a moped or scooter, often clad in Hawaiian shirts — seemingly the area’s unofficial dress code.
This mode of transport is extremely popular in the area. However, like any vehicle, it carries risks and can lead to serious consequences. There are a myriad of reasons why a moped or scooter accident may occur — from narrow streets and tourist inexperience to distracted driving. When they do occur, Leesfield & Partners attorneys know the consequences can be severe, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal fractures, paralysis, broken bones, and more.
Scooters and mopeds are an efficient and fun way to explore Key West’s historic streets, lined with palm trees and the inviting sea breeze. It’s no wonder many tourists opt to rent them or borrow them from friends when visiting the area. Their inexperience on the roads, however, can lead to costly mistakes. Speeding, failing to yield, or not understanding local traffic patterns can all contribute to collisions. Under Florida law, a tourist who negligently causes an accident can be held just as accountable as a local driver. Even if they lack Florida insurance, their out-of-state auto policies may provide coverage, and an injured party can still bring a claim against them in Florida courts.
Key West Injury Lawyer Blog