Bagen Law Blog

Defensive driving is important not only for automobile drivers, but also for motorcycle riders, as Gainesville drivers learned on Wednesday, March 16.

On the afternoon of March 16th, a man, later to be identified as Eric Michael McManus, 32, was travelling eastbound on his motorcycle on Northeast 23rd Avenue when the driver of a Cadillac, facing North on Second Street, tried to turn left onto 23rd Avenue, directly into McManus’s path.

DUI’s are never pleasant to experience, but that holds even more true when fatalities are involved. The impacts of a DUI can be very far-reaching and Jeffrey Lee Ertle, 41, learned that the hard way.

 In early summer of 2015, Patricia Mincey ran through a red light while driving approximately 20 mph in her 2001 Honda Civic. Unfortunately, her car collided with an SUV. As is supposed to happen, her airbag inflated, but in her situation, hers inflated too much. Her lawsuit, intended to cover her medical bills, pain and suffering, as well as punitive damages against Takata and Honda, alleges that this overinflation caused Ms. Mincey to become paralyzed from the waist down.

Last Saturday night, around 10:00 p.m. a drunk driver struck and injured a bicyclist who has been identified as Ali Lauren Brody, 21, of Gainesville.   Ali was riding her bicycle on West University Avenue when Kirtley Stephen Davis, 21,  slammed into her.  Davis then fled the scene of the accident and turned onto Southwest 13th Street where he struck a vehicle stopped for a traffic light at Museum Road.  Davis’ blood alcohol level was between .308 and .313 which is almost four times the legal limit in Florida.  Davis was arrested and charged with misdemeanor DUI, DUI with serious bodily injury and failure to stop or remain at a crash involving injury which is a third degree felony in the State of Florida.   

It’s that time of year again for festivals, Halloween parties, and of course the Ocala Pumpkin Run. Be sure to mark your calendars because you will not want to miss this weekend long blowout. The 2nd Annual Ocala Pumpkin Run is of course an extraordinary car show, but it offers car enthusiasts and families much more than just classic automobiles. This reoccurrence of the run promises to be bigger, better, and louder than last year.

Of course, the focal point of the run is the cars. People bring their beautiful classic and modern vehicles from across the state and across the country to participate in shows, contests, and demonstrations for the crowds. Even if you do not have a car in the show, you can still participate in the people’s choice contests on Friday and Saturday, and let the judges and owners know which car is your favorite.

The majority of dog bites that occur around the United States, are negotiated between the dog owner, their insurance company and the victim. About 5 million U.S. Citizens are bitten annually, but only 16,000 claims are pay outs from insurance companies. Every year from May 19-25, we celebrate National Dog Bite Prevention Week. This annual celebration is designed to educate dog owners and consumers, on the proper way to prevent dog bites.

A fishing trip turned deadly Tuesday morning when an airboat capsized in the Rodman Reservoir.
The 64-year-old operator of the boat was killed in the accident, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Joy Hill said. His 50-year-old fishing companion received minor injuries.