South Florida Personal Injury Lawyers

Two viewing services for a federal drug agent from Weston who recently died in an Interstate 95 crash will be held today in Boca Raton.

The viewings for Paul Andrew Teresi, 44, a seven-year special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration and a former Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office sergeant, will be from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Babione Funeral Home West Chapel, at 10060 Calle Comercio Drive.

Also, a Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Joan of Arc Church, at 370 SW Third St., in Boca Raton. Teresi died early Sunday in an I-95 crash in Deerfield Beach.

As Teresi was exiting the interstate onto Southwest 10th Street shortly before 5 a.m., a westbound Ford Expedition struck Teresi’s Chevy Trailblazer, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.

Teresi was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Expedition, 36-year-old Derick James, suffered minor injuries.

Traffic homicide detectives are still investigating.

Teresi worked for the DEA for seven years out of Miami, and before that, he worked for the PBSO from 1989 to 2002.

He is survived by his wife, Candice Teresi; his seven-month-old daughter, Lillianna Teresi; his father, retired DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Paul Teresi; his stepmother, Toni Teresi; his mother, Lucy Curley, and sister, Lucy Lange-Gappens.

Instead of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the following organizations:

– DEA Survivor’s Benefit Fund, at 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 659, Washington, D.C. 20006. Its website is http://www.deamemorial.org/donate.cfm

 The Broken Star Fund, a program that helps the families of fallen deputies, at 3228 Gun Club Road, in West Palm Beach. Call 561-688-3658.

For Floridians already suffering from recession-pinched pocketbooks, add another dose of unwelcome news: Driving is getting a lot more expensive.

Effective today, Florida drivers will pay more for their annual vehicle registrations, license renewals, vehicle plates and virtually everything else associated with getting behind the wheel.

Late penalties for registration and drivers licenses also stiffen today. Even the glow-in-the-dark decals on your license plates now cost more.

The higher charges are part of the Legislature’s budget-balancing plan for the 2010 fiscal year, which starts today. Governor Charlie Christ signed the fees into law.

In a state with almost 19 million registered cars, the motorist fees are expected to generate $800 million next year and even more in the future.

For most drivers, annual vehicle registrations — which now cost either $22.50 or $32.50 for most cars and small trucks — will jump by 35 percent, to roughly $31 and $44. A new vehicle license plate is now $28, up from $12. And renewing your license runs $48, up from $20.

“If you look at these fees, they double and triple some of them,” said state Rep. Joe Gibbons, D- Hallandale Beach, the leading minority-party member on transportation issues. “When have you seen a tax double and triple? You haven’t.”

“The thing that really gets me about it, these are not optional things,” he added. “People have to drive to work. They have to renew their drivers licenses. We’re hurting people at a time when they can least afford it.”

For the state’s Republican leaders, though, the state’s grim budget calculations left few options. The state had a $6 billion deficit and couldn’t cut spending in key areas such as education and health care, because of strings attached to federal stimulus money.

The most politically palatable alternative: fees and a $1-per-pack tax increase on cigarettes, which also goes into effect today.

“When we looked at the fees we’ve been charging, we looked at ones that haven’t been raised in a really long time,” said Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, who drafted the fee increases in his transportation committee.

“As I said in Tallahassee, it was not something we all wanted to do, but we had to balance our budget. It was the only way I could see to balance the budget and meet our constitutional requirement.”

Indeed, many of the motorist fees haven’t been raised in years, if not decades. Annual vehicle registrations haven’t gone up since 1983. The charge for a first-time car registration — increased from $100 to $225 — hadn’t budged in 20 years. And the late payment penalty for drivers-license renewals has been $1 since 1991. As of today, the penalty is $15.

Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon, whose office handles registrations and other motorist fees, said her office has been trying to alert the public to the higher costs but still expects many to be caught unawares.

“The fees should’ve been increased incrementally over the years, to at least cover the costs of the services,” said Gannon, a former Democratic state legislator. “There are going to be a lot of angry people, I’m sure. Call back in three weeks, and we could share some stories with you.”

Following the crash, only one lane of traffic was open, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Teri Barbera said, creating a gridlock at that intersection.

We usually don’t notice them very often until they bite us. And it can leave a lasting and painful impact on our skin.

Mosquitoes actually rely more on stagnant water than heat to survive. With the summer weather increasing everyday, there wasn’t much Jackson County could do to fight against them, until now.

“This is our newly acquired mosquito control truck that we acquired from Keys Mosquito Control District in Key Largo,” says T.G. Harkrider, Jackson County Environmental Health Director.

Harkrider says it’s one of two mosquito spray trucks. Although the sprayer looks very similar to a car engine, he says it will help reduce the population of adult mosquitoes.

“It has a ultra low volume sprayer on it, it has an 18 gallon formulation capacity on it and it’s used for adulticiding.”

Since it’s the first time the county has ever had a mosquito control program, they’ll be relying on your help in locating any problematic areas.

“We’ll be dividing the county into east and west areas and we’ll use both trucks each night as we need to.”

A few cities within the county already have their own mosquito control program. But that meant other areas were basically on their own.

“I think just now, they’ve been suffering. and hopefully, we’ll be able to provide them some relief.”

Although Harkrider says the two trucks will make a significant difference in reducing the number of mosquitoes, he says the best way to protect yourself is to follow the 5 D’s: “dress appropriately, long sleeves, long pants, use deet, use a mosquito control repellent that has deet in it. Drain any areas of stagnant water and stay inside at dusk and dawn, that’s when mosquitoes are most prevalent and most active.”

The mosquito control program has been in the works for a few years and Harkrider says he’s excited it’s finally here.

“We’re very proud to have it, we’re very proud to be able to offer this service. and hopefully we’ll be able to provide a lot of relief to a lot of people.”

Two Palm Beach Central High School students won the Good Samaritan Youth Award at the eighth annual Real Heroes Luncheon presented by the local chapter of Red Cross last week. The two baseball players, Alex Anagnostu and Kyle Finch, were on the way back from a trip to Florida Gulf Coast University when they witnessed a the car in front of them blow a tire, roll three times and end up nose first in a canal.

“At first I was in shock when it happened in front of me,” said Anagnostu, 17. “My second thought was that we need to pull over and help the people out and see what’s going on.”

And that’s exactly what the two teenagers did. They pulled over and asked another passing car to call 911. Anagnostu then rushed to the aid of a 9-year-old boy was had been ejected from the car and started wrapping his serious head injury.

“There was a gash right behind his temple to the back of his head,” Anagnostu said. “It was a very serious cut.”

Sounding distressed and concerned, NFL star Donte Stallworth pleads for an ambulance in the 911 call he placed just minutes after he struck and killed a man on the MacArthur Causeway.

“Ok, listen, listen…This guy just ran in front of my car and he’s (expletive) laying in the street dude…I, I…,” Stallworth says in the call, released yesterday for the first time.

“So you hit somebody in the street?” the dispatcher asks.

“Yeah, you gotta send an ambulance right now man,” Stallworth responds.

Stallworth is serving a month in jail after reaching a deal with Miami prosecutors earlier this month after the Cleveland Browns wide receiver was charged with DUI manslaughter.  
  
Stallworth struck and killed 59-year-old Mario Reyes with his Bentley after a night of clubbing in Miami Beach in the early hours of March 14. The 28-year-old had a blood alcohol level of .126 when the accident occurred, well over the legal limit of .08. Reyes, a construction worker, was on his way home after working overnight.

In addition to the 30 days in jail, Stallworth will have to perform 1,000 hours of community service, will be on probation for 10 years, and will never be able to drive again.

The call, as well as police evidence photos, were released yesterday. The photos show a gruesome crime scene, with Reyes’ belongings strewn about and Stallworth’s smashed Bentley nearby. 

“He ran in front of the car sir, he like jumped in front of the car,” Stallworth tells the dispatcher. He then expresses the grim situation, saying “Oh no. (Expletive). Oh my God, this guy is…oh…”

Police said Stallworth cooperated throughout the investigation and the football star has continued to offer his condolences to the Reyes family, who he reached a confidential settlement with to avoid a civil trial.

Stallworth has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL, and his future with the league is uncertain

North Carolina State linebacker Nate Irving is recovering from surgery after being hurt in a car crash.

A WakeMed Trauma Center spokeswoman said Irving was in good condition Monday after surgery Sunday night. Irving was hospitalized with a broken leg and a collapsed lung after running his vehicle off the road at 4:40 a.m. Sunday on Interstate 40 in Johnston County.

State troopers think Irving might have fallen asleep at the wheel before crashing into two trees. Irving has been charged with careless and reckless driving.

It’s unknown if Irving will be able to play this season. The junior was an honorable mention all-Atlantic Coast Conference player last year despite missing one-third of the season because of injuries.

Residents of a South Florida community with tainted Chinese drywall problems are getting full home renovations, while the majority of homeowners in other communities with the problem struggle to find ways to get it fixed.

Some claim that sulfur-tainted Chinese drywall can cause health problems and harm household appliances.

G.L. Homes has begun the long and expensive task of gutting homes it built that contain Chinese drywall. Local 10 has learned 30 homes in the Canyon Isles section of Boynton Beach are currently being worked on.

“They took out every single wall. There was no wiring, no plumbing. It was a gutted home back to preconstruction days,” said homeowner Andrea Suhajcik.

Suhajcik’s 2½-year-old house contained Chinese drywall. She, her husband and four children have been living in a rental for six weeks and plan to be back in their house sometime in August.

G.L. Homes is one of the only companies paying for renovations to homes they built which were found to have the tainted Chinses drywall. The builder is paying the Suhajciks’ rent on another house while their house is being renovated and hiring an artist to repaint murals that were once in the children’s bedrooms.

“They said, ‘No worries. We will take care of this from start to finish,” Suhajcik said.

But the owners of homes built by G.L. are in the minority. Many homeowners in the same situation are finding themselves getting no help from their builders, insurance companies or the state.

“We are in limbo right now. Our house is standing there. It is an empty house,” said Alyssa Quittner.

Quittner’s home is also in Boynton Beach but was built by Northstar. She, her husband and their newborn have moved in with her parents.

Chinese drywall emits gases which corrode copper and other metal and give off a foul odor that some claim makes people sick, Weinsier reported. It has been found in homes in 14 states.

The U.S. Congress is looking into what can be done, but it could take years to remedy the problem.

“Every day, I say thank you,” Suhajcik said.

Before getting behind the wheel Tuesday, remember that you now must wear your seat belt or risk getting pulled over and handed a ticket.

Starting Tuesday, Florida will be considered a so-called “primary” enforcement state, meaning that law enforcement can stop a motorist and issue a ticket by just spotting a driver without a belt.

Florida Highway Patrol officials maintain the amendment to Florida’s seat-belt law, which has been around since 1986, will compel more drivers and passengers to buckle up — and in doing so, save lives.

“What we’re trying to do is change behavioral patterns for motorists so they will buckle up,” said FHP Lt. Tim Frith said from Tallahassee. “We applaud the legislative action because it’s going to save lives>”

Here are a few things to think about as you drive off to work or play today:

The big change involves enforcement. Drivers have been responsible for wearing seat belts for years. But before today law enforcement officers had to stop drivers for another infraction, such as speeding or following to close behind another vehicle, before handing them a citation for not wearing a seat belt.

Now if they spot a driver not wearing a belt, that’s all they need to pull the car over. Good rule of thumb: Everyone in the car should wear seat belts. Young children need child restraints or booster seats. Kids under age 18 and right-side front passengers must wear the belts too.

If you don’t buckle up to be safe, at least do it to save some cash. The non-moving violation won’t put points on your license. But one legislative analysis indicated that the tickets and added court costs and fees could total $93 to $100.

“Most counties that you look at are going to be at the $100 mark, but it’s going to vary,” Frith said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration anticipates that 124 lives will be saved in Florida each year thanks to the toughening of the seat belt law. In 2007, 1,878 people died in traffic accidents on Florida’s roads. That total was down from prior years, when the count exceeded 2,000 deaths.

According to an Orlando Sentinel analysis, 57 percent of people killed on Florida’s highways during the past few years did not wear their belts, while about 39 percent killed in wrecks did wear the belts. In the remaining 4 percent of fatal accidents, it wasn’t clear if those killed were wearing seat belts.

In Central Florida counties last year, roughly 65 percent of the 225 people killed in traffic accidents did not have seat belts on.

NHTSA figures show that Floridians wear seat belts nearly 82 percent of the time, which is slightly lower than national average of 83 percent. But consider that less than a decade ago — in 2001 — seat belt compliance among Floridians was less than 70 percent

Lauren Sanchez still remembers the senseless drunk driver who smashed into her family’s car five years ago. Memories of the swift broadside impact and her father’s rotator cuff injury wedged firmly in her thoughts when she penned a high school play for the senior graduating class last month.

Performed before an audience of 400 students and parents on the eve of prom night inside Archbishop McCarthy High School’s basketball gymnasium, Sanchez’s 10-minute cautionary tale warned seniors against drunk driving and irresponsibility.

The school’s Students Against Destructive Decisions club commissioned Sanchez to pen a sketch outlining the dangers of drunk driving, the first student in Archbishop’s history to wield that responsibility. In addition, SADD members presented visitors with graphic slideshows of car wrecks and shared anecdotes from surviving mothers of deceased teenagers.

Sanchez’s play pulled no punches either. The play features two implied deaths, one from alcohol poisoning and one from a fatal car accident, plus underage drinking.

The premise: After Lauren’s eponymous character promises to keep her mother posted throughout prom night, she visits a hotel after-party with boyfriend Johnny for beer and dancing. A partygoer blacks out from alcohol poisoning as two policewomen enter the scene and break the bad news: a classmate en route to buy snacks died in a fatal collision with a drunk driver.

“I wanted the shock factor of the keymaster, Nick, getting killed by a drunk driver,” said Sanchez, 18, of Miramar. “I think the whole audience felt the impact of that scene. With every line I wrote, I keep thinking back to my car crash.”

When and why did you decide to write this play?

I’m a member of the Drama Club and they asked me to help out with a SADD play two months ago. I wrote the script and cast the actors. I was also responsible for the choreography and the props as well.

What is the message students should derive from your performance?

It isn’t OK to drink and drive and you shouldn’t be pressured into anything you’re not comfortable doing because it can have horrible consequences.

Would the graphic images of car wrecks be more or less likely to convince students to make the right choice?

It definitely can because you see how destructive it is, and it’s not a pretty sight. It’s all because of a choice, a stupid decision that could’ve been prevented.

Who are your personal heroes?

My parents. My father is an immigrant, and through great sacrifice and hard work, they gave me the greatest life possible.

How honored are you to be the first student to pen this mandatory play?

I feel pretty honored because I saw it come together nicely. We hadn’t had time to rehearse too much, but then people told me they liked it, so that was awesome, very fulfilling.

Which subjects are you planning to major in at college, and why?

Nursing. We’ll see what happens with my acting career. I’ll keep acting and performing in general, because it teaches you about human psychology. I’ll probably commit to nursing as a career, though.

Which clubs or extracurricular activities are you planning to pursue in college?

I’ll be enrolling at Barry University’s Drama Club and any choir ensembles they have. My dad is an alumnus at that college.

Where would you travel on your dream vacation?

I have a place I go already: Long Boat Key in Florida every summer with my Dad’s side of the family. It’s already perfect.

What tops the list of things you must accomplish in this lifetime?

Marry a man who loves me for me and whom I love. Then, travel around the world providing volunteer medical aid to third-world countries.

What message do you have for those students planning to drink and drive during prom?

Be prepared to pay one way or the other if you plan to drink and drive. Good luck with your conscience.