Trial Attorneys

Published on: August 12, 2025

Florida Keys Boat Captain Indicted in Deadly 2022 Parasailing Accident

A federal grand jury charged a Florida Keys boat captain in relation to a parasailing accident that resulted in the death of a woman and the injury of two children in 2022.

Daniel Couch, 52, was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with one count of seaman’s manslaughter. The charge stems from Memorial Day 2022 when Couch took out 33-year-old Supraja Alaparthi, her son, 10, and her 9-year-old nephew on a parasailing excursion in a 31-foot boat. Alaparthi died from her injuries and her nephew was severely injured. Her son suffered minor injuries, according to local media.

The family was already in the air around 5 p.m. on May 30, 2022, when a strong storm gust caused an issue, causing Couch and at least one other employee on the boat to lower the group back to the water. The National Weather Service had predicted high winds, heavy rain and thunderstorms before the group set out on the water. The gust was so strong that the “parasail also risked dragging the boat,” according to reporting from The Miami Herald. Couch did not steer the boat side-to-side or attempt another technique to lessen the wind underneath the parasail. Instead, he cut the cable tethering the parasail harness to the boat with a knife.

Published on: July 28, 2025

City of Miami Honors 2022 Boat Crash Survivor’s ‘Unbreakable Will to Move Forward.’

By Leesfield & Partners

Katerina “Katy” Puig, who survived the 2022 Boca Chita boat crash that killed her classmate, was honored by the City of Miami, which proclaimed Thursday, July 10, as “Katy Puig Day,” according to The Miami Herald.

Puig was celebrated for her bravery Thursday by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez who presented her with a plaque while she attended the ceremony with her parents, Kathya and Rudy Puig.

Since the September 2022 crash that resulted in the tragic death of Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez, 20-year-old Puig remains in physical therapy to regain motor skills. She currently requires the use of a wheelchair after suffering brain injuries from the crash.

Published on: July 10, 2025

Infant Drowns in Recent Florida Pool Incident, Highlighting this Pressing Issue. How to Keep Kids Safe this Summer.

By Leesfield & Partners

A Martin County family is grieving the loss of their 1-year-old daughter after she died in a tragic pool drowning incident in Jensen Beach.

The infant was under the care of a grandparent who lost track of the her and called 911. While on the phone, dispatchers asked the grandparent — who was going from room-to-room in the home searching — to check the pool, according to reporting from the Treasure Coast News.

Emergency responders were called out to the home around 3:30 p.m. where they found the grandparent administering CPR to the infant. The 1-year-old was taken to Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital in Stuart, Florida, where she later died.

Published on: July 7, 2025

Pam Rock Act Set to go into Effect July 1 in Florida. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Nearly three years after mail carrier Pamela Jane Rock was killed by a pack of dogs in Florida, a law has been created to increase safety and penalties for aggressive animal owners.

Per HB 593, which goes into effect July 1 in the state, owners of dogs considered to be “dangerous” must microchip their animals, secure them and have at least $100,000 in liability insurance. This bill defines a dangerous dog as those subject to an investigation which have killed or bitten a person to a “certain severity.” This severity is defined as a score of five or higher on the Dunbar bite scale, a system designed to classify dog bite severities.

The scale ranges as follows:

Published on: June 27, 2025

Man, 23, ‘Vanishes’ on Utah Lake Following Jet Ski Crash, officials say

By Leesfield & Partners

A 23-year-old disappeared after he flipped on a jet ski in a Utah lake with his cousin, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

The man, whose name had not been released as of Wednesday afternoon, was last seen around 5:30 p.m. on June 22 near a marina, officials with the Utah County Sherrif’s Office Search and Rescue team said via a Facebook news release. The man was riding the jet ski with his cousin, who was rescued by someone in a nearby boat.

The search continued until at least 1 a.m. on June 23. Some witnesses reported seeing waves between 2 and 3 feet high.

Published on: March 18, 2025

Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Florida Keys Man Accused of Sexually Abusing a Minor. How Leesfield & Partners has Protected Children for Decades.

By Leesfield & Partners

The Monroe County State Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty for a Florida Keys man police accused of filming himself raping a child multiple times, according to reporting from the Miami Herald.

Micheal John Demerjian, 36, of Big Pine Key, in the Lower Keys, was in custody on unrelated charges on Jan. 17 when his phone was found by someone who purchased his car. On the phone, over 70 images and videos of the child, who is under 12 years old, were found. The images were reported to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The Key West Injury Lawyer Blog will not be publishing the age of the child or Demerjian’s connection to the minor to protect their identity.