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CBS12: Driver lethargic, stumbling and disoriented after deadly school bus stop crash: PBSO #3 #2

The search warrant on the driver who hit four high school students waiting for their bus shows investigators and others at the scene of the crash thought he was impaired when they saw and spoke with him, shortly after the tragic crash.

The driver is a 57-year-old man who lives in Royal Palm Beach and he was driving a gray 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV last Tuesday morning, March 22.

He was heading northbound on Crestview Boulevard approaching Cypress Lake Drive just before 7 a.m. when his car “drifted to the right, over a bicycle lane, and collided with the curb with the passenger side front tire,” according to the many pages of notes on both the driver, who has not been charged with a crime, and his car.

The lead investigator reported he was conducting an accident investigation. The roadway evidence was considered.

Then, he wrote that he “observed two medication pill bottles inside the vehicle in plain view. One bottle was on the driver side front floorboard and the other bottle was on the passenger side front seat. Both bottles contained pills and did not have labels on them.”

He also mentioned seeing a black backpack with a zipper and shoulder straps.

By then, the victims had been taken to hospitals.

The investigator met up with another investigator who arrived at the scene earlier. He wrote the other investigator told him “when he made contact with [the driver] he saw indications of impairment. He noticed [the driver] had slow movements and seemed lethargic.”

Then, the lead investigator met up with the driver, “as he was sitting on the curb next to his vehicle.”

He wrote, “[The driver] told me he was driving [his car] northbound on Crestwood Boulevard and struck a curb. He said [his car] crashed and didn’t know what happened after that.”

The investigator said the driver gave consent for a blood sample. That blood sample, known as a toxicology report, will be able to tell what if anything was in the driver’s system at the time of the crash.

CBS12 News reporter Andrew Lofholm asked personal injury lawyer and expert in these kinds of crashes, Carissa Kranz, about what we can take away from the search warrants.

“The fact that he submitted to a toxicology report, which means we should probably wait to pass judgment on whether or not he was under the influence,” Kranz said. “He’s already guilty [of] these horrible acts of killing these children and injuring others. The motive behind that, the why behind that, we don’t know. It could be because he was under the influence. The toxicology report could lend more certainty and credibility.”

The investigator wrote about the driver’s demeanor, “During my interaction with [the driver], he appeared lethargic, slow and seemed dehydrated. His pupils were constricted and his mouth was dry. He had trouble keeping his eyes open and the sunlight seemed to bother him. He stumbled while standing and walking. He had trouble getting up and down losing his balance.”

Then, the investigator got Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel to blood draw from the driver, in the back of their rescue rig.

The investigator wrote that a deputy who said she was the first officer at the scene, and off duty at the time, contacted him.

He wrote that, “She said when she arrived she saw [the driver] in the driver seat of [the car]. [She] said her in car video system was recording when she activated her overhead lights. [She] said when she made contact with [the driver] he got out of the driver seat and stumbled around when he walked. She said she believed he was impaired and stayed with him until other units arrived.”

Then, he mentioned another investigator meeting with a witness who called 911.

She reportedly said the driver “opened the driver’s door and get out. [She] said the [driver] was stumbling around and seemed disoriented. [She] thought he might have had a head injury. [She] said the paramedics got there fast and she did not want to get in the way and left the area.”

The investigator wrote that he spoke with trauma personnel at St. Mary’s Medical Center, where three of the victims had been taken. “They stated [two victims] suffered grave injuries as a result of this crash and they were not expected to survive. Both had massive head trauma and were unresponsive. [The third victim] had serious injuries to his face from this crash and he was expected to survive.”

The fourth victim had been taken to Palms West Medical Center. He “had an injury to his leg and was not seriously injured.”

The next morning, March 23, “I was contacted by St. Mary’s Medical Center that [Tiana Johnson, 15] was pronounced dead as a result of her injuries sustained in this crash.

It was at that point, the investigator wrote in his report, “Based on the aforementioned information, it is concluded the driver of [the car] is in violation of the Florida State Statute Driving Under the Influence Manslaughter.”

This portion of the report was written one day after the crash, on March 23. That was the day of Tiana’s death, which allowed for the mention of manslaughter. The report was released a week later, on March 30.

Chand Wazir, 15, died on Friday, three days after the crash, and after this portion of the report was written.

He was not mentioned. Neither were the two other crash victims, who are out of the hospital.

The driver reportedly consented to having his blood drawn and tested. No search warrant was necessary. The toxicology results have not been released.

The sheriff’s office actually had to apply for and receive at least three search warrants. Information on three have been released.

One was for the car itself. Specifically, “A search of the interior and exterior of the vehicle for evidence including, but not limited to: any evidence, such as personal effects of the suspect/driver of the vehicle which was used in the commission of a felony; any automotive information or parts which tend to indicate the mechanical condition of said vehicle, any paint, glass, medals, rubber, plastics, steering wheel, gear shift handle, seats, and door panels, which may be relevant to the causation of the crash, weather located on the outside or within the interior and locked interior areas of the vehicle as evidence of who was the operator/driver, and the victim who was struck and killed by this vehicle or any other violation of law.”

The second search warrant was for evidence “located within a black zipper bag with shoulder straps (backpack) located on the ground next to a gray, 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio sport utility vehicle.”

There were two lists in the paperwork. Both were dated Thursday, March 24.

The first inventory list said the investigator found:

  • a black knox vape pen with brown liquid,
  • a brown bottle with liquid inside labeled SUN MED,
  • two white bottles labeled Tren 75,
  • 161 brown capsules, and
  • a clear bottle with liquid labeled clear eyes.

The second inventory list was longer. It said the investigator found:

  • DNA swab on the passenger side A pillar,
  • DNA swab on the center windshield,
  • hair from the passenger side A pillar,
  • three brown oval pills marked FJ4,
  • 15 tan oval pills marked L339,
  • nine white oval pills marked I10,
  • half white oval pill marked I10, and
  • two brown unmarked pill bottles.

The third search warrant was for a device in the car, specifically evidence contained in that device which is called an Event Data Recorder (EDR) or Airbag Control Module (ACM). The EDR is mounted in the car’s operating system and “is designed to store information about how the vehicle is operating.”

This information includes some or all of the following to include restraint system performance, driver actions, vehicle conditions, velocity changes, and additional stored information.

Investigators wrote in their application for the search warrant, “The EDR may have stored information regarding this specific crash. It is this information regarding restraint system performance, driver action(s), vehicle condition(s), velocity change(s), etc.,” they wanted.

They added, getting information from the EDR requires special equipment specifically designed to gather that information without distorting or changing the data. They planned to keep the EDR inside the car unless it needed to be removed.

The results of that search warrant have not been released.

The car was being kept at the sheriff’s office’s Vehicle Impound Facility on Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach.

The vehicle homicide investigator wrote that he has been in law enforcement for 27 years and has testified as an expert witness in the field of traffic crash reconstruction on numerous occasions in Palm Beach County.

The search warrant on the driver who hit four high school students waiting for their bus shows investigators and others at the scene of the crash thought he was impaired when they saw and spoke with him, shortly after the tragic crash.

The driver is a 57-year-old man who lives in Royal Palm Beach and he was driving a gray 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV last Tuesday morning, March 22.

He was heading northbound on Crestview Boulevard approaching Cypress Lake Drive just before 7 a.m. when his car “drifted to the right, over a bicycle lane, and collided with the curb with the passenger side front tire,” according to the many pages of notes on both the driver, who has not been charged with a crime, and his car.

The lead investigator reported he was conducting an accident investigation. The roadway evidence was considered.

Then, he wrote that he “observed two medication pill bottles inside the vehicle in plain view. One bottle was on the driver side front floorboard and the other bottle was on the passenger side front seat. Both bottles contained pills and did not have labels on them.”

He also mentioned seeing a black backpack with a zipper and shoulder straps.

By then, the victims had been taken to hospitals.

The investigator met up with another investigator who arrived at the scene earlier. He wrote the other investigator told him “when he made contact with [the driver] he saw indications of impairment. He noticed [the driver] had slow movements and seemed lethargic.”

Then, the lead investigator met up with the driver, “as he was sitting on the curb next to his vehicle.”

He wrote, “[The driver] told me he was driving [his car] northbound on Crestwood Boulevard and struck a curb. He said [his car] crashed and didn’t know what happened after that.”

The investigator said the driver gave consent for a blood sample. That blood sample, known as a toxicology report, will be able to tell what if anything was in the driver’s system at the time of the crash.

CBS12 News reporter Andrew Lofholm asked personal injury lawyer and expert in these kinds of crashes, Carissa Kranz, about what we can take away from the search warrants.

“The fact that he submitted to a toxicology report, which means we should probably wait to pass judgment on whether or not he was under the influence,” Kranz said. “He’s already guilty [of] these horrible acts of killing these children and injuring others. The motive behind that, the why behind that, we don’t know. It could be because he was under the influence. The toxicology report could lend more certainty and credibility.”

The investigator wrote about the driver’s demeanor, “During my interaction with [the driver], he appeared lethargic, slow and seemed dehydrated. His pupils were constricted and his mouth was dry. He had trouble keeping his eyes open and the sunlight seemed to bother him. He stumbled while standing and walking. He had trouble getting up and down losing his balance.”

Then, the investigator got Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel to blood draw from the driver, in the back of their rescue rig.

The investigator wrote that a deputy who said she was the first officer at the scene, and off duty at the time, contacted him.

He wrote that, “She said when she arrived she saw [the driver] in the driver seat of [the car]. [She] said her in car video system was recording when she activated her overhead lights. [She] said when she made contact with [the driver] he got out of the driver seat and stumbled around when he walked. She said she believed he was impaired and stayed with him until other units arrived.”

Then, he mentioned another investigator meeting with a witness who called 911.

She reportedly said the driver “opened the driver’s door and get out. [She] said the [driver] was stumbling around and seemed disoriented. [She] thought he might have had a head injury. [She] said the paramedics got there fast and she did not want to get in the way and left the area.”

The investigator wrote that he spoke with trauma personnel at St. Mary’s Medical Center, where three of the victims had been taken. “They stated [two victims] suffered grave injuries as a result of this crash and they were not expected to survive. Both had massive head trauma and were unresponsive. [The third victim] had serious injuries to his face from this crash and he was expected to survive.”

The fourth victim had been taken to Palms West Medical Center. He “had an injury to his leg and was not seriously injured.”

The next morning, March 23, “I was contacted by St. Mary’s Medical Center that [Tiana Johnson, 15] was pronounced dead as a result of her injuries sustained in this crash.

It was at that point, the investigator wrote in his report, “Based on the aforementioned information, it is concluded the driver of [the car] is in violation of the Florida State Statute Driving Under the Influence Manslaughter.”

This portion of the report was written one day after the crash, on March 23. That was the day of Tiana’s death, which allowed for the mention of manslaughter. The report was released a week later, on March 30.

Chand Wazir, 15, died on Friday, three days after the crash, and after this portion of the report was written.

He was not mentioned. Neither were the two other crash victims, who are out of the hospital.

The driver reportedly consented to having his blood drawn and tested. No search warrant was necessary. The toxicology results have not been released.

The sheriff’s office actually had to apply for and receive at least three search warrants. Information on three have been released.

One was for the car itself. Specifically, “A search of the interior and exterior of the vehicle for evidence including, but not limited to: any evidence, such as personal effects of the suspect/driver of the vehicle which was used in the commission of a felony; any automotive information or parts which tend to indicate the mechanical condition of said vehicle, any paint, glass, medals, rubber, plastics, steering wheel, gear shift handle, seats, and door panels, which may be relevant to the causation of the crash, weather located on the outside or within the interior and locked interior areas of the vehicle as evidence of who was the operator/driver, and the victim who was struck and killed by this vehicle or any other violation of law.”

The second search warrant was for evidence “located within a black zipper bag with shoulder straps (backpack) located on the ground next to a gray, 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio sport utility vehicle.”

There were two lists in the paperwork. Both were dated Thursday, March 24.

The first inventory list said the investigator found:

  • a black knox vape pen with brown liquid,
  • a brown bottle with liquid inside labeled SUN MED,
  • two white bottles labeled Tren 75,
  • 161 brown capsules, and
  • a clear bottle with liquid labeled clear eyes.

The second inventory list was longer. It said the investigator found:

  • DNA swab on the passenger side A pillar,
  • DNA swab on the center windshield,
  • hair from the passenger side A pillar,
  • three brown oval pills marked FJ4,
  • 15 tan oval pills marked L339,
  • nine white oval pills marked I10,
  • half white oval pill marked I10, and
  • two brown unmarked pill bottles.

The third search warrant was for a device in the car, specifically evidence contained in that device which is called an Event Data Recorder (EDR) or Airbag Control Module (ACM). The EDR is mounted in the car’s operating system and “is designed to store information about how the vehicle is operating.”

This information includes some or all of the following to include restraint system performance, driver actions, vehicle conditions, velocity changes, and additional stored information.

Investigators wrote in their application for the search warrant, “The EDR may have stored information regarding this specific crash. It is this information regarding restraint system performance, driver action(s), vehicle condition(s), velocity change(s), etc.,” they wanted.

They added, getting information from the EDR requires special equipment specifically designed to gather that information without distorting or changing the data. They planned to keep the EDR inside the car unless it needed to be removed.

The results of that search warrant have not been released.

The car was being kept at the sheriff’s office’s Vehicle Impound Facility on Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach.

The vehicle homicide investigator wrote that he has been in law enforcement for 27 years and has testified as an expert witness in the field of traffic crash reconstruction on numerous occasions in Palm Beach County.

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Alzheimer’s Association National Magazine: A pirouette form student to caregiver

Alzheimer’s Association National magazine: thank you for sharing our story! ❤️???? Alzheimer’s disease is very near and dear to my heart, as I still care for my ballet teacher as she nears the end of the disease. It’s been about a decade journey. Anyone who knows, knows exactly what I am saying. There is no roadmap for how to deal with the disease. But if it teaches one thing at all, it’s that: the TIME IS NOW. This present moment is all that matters and it IS a gift.

dance xdance xdance xdance xdance x

Alzheimer’s Association National magazine: thank you for sharing our story! ❤️???? Alzheimer’s disease is very near and dear to my heart, as I still care for my ballet teacher as she nears the end of the disease. It’s been about a decade journey. Anyone who knows, knows exactly what I am saying. There is no roadmap for how to deal with the disease. But if it teaches one thing at all, it’s that: the TIME IS NOW. This present moment is all that matters and it IS a gift.

dance xdance xdance xdance xdance x

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Carissa Kranz at The Doctors – If You Sign a COVID Liability Waiver Do You Still Have Rights if You Get Sick?

Attorney Carissa Kranz joins Dr. Ian Smith to share your rights after you’ve signed a COVID liability waiver. Carissa shares the differences between negligence and gross negligence. Also, Carissa shares what you should look for in a COVID waiver before you sign.

Attorney Carissa Kranz joins Dr. Ian Smith to share your rights after you’ve signed a COVID liability waiver. Carissa shares the differences between negligence and gross negligence. Also, Carissa shares what you should look for in a COVID waiver before you sign.

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Attorney.com #1 Award

Thank you Attorney.com for awarding me the #1 spot! The Law Offices of Carissa Kranz serves the state of Florida for all your accident and injury needs. Wrongful death, car accident, Uber accident, trucking accident, slip and fall, negligence. We have a compassion for clients and a passion for justice. No fee guarantee. You pay nothing unless we win. Free consult: 866-529-1114

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Thank you Attorney.com for awarding me the #1 spot! The Law Offices of Carissa Kranz serves the state of Florida for all your accident and injury needs. Wrongful death, car accident, Uber accident, trucking accident, slip and fall, negligence. We have a compassion for clients and a passion for justice. No fee guarantee. You pay nothing unless we win. Free consult: 866-529-1114

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Money Inc. The 10 Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Boca Raton

The 10 Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Boca Raton

Boca Raton has no shortage of Personal Injury lawyers, but finding one who’ll see you as anything other than a paycheck might take a little more work than simply flipping through the pages of Yelp. Suffering an injury or accident that wasn’t your fault is stressful enough. The last thing you want is a lawyer who’ll do nothing but compound that stress… or simply add yet another expense to what you’re already paying out in lost wages, medical bills, and rehabilitation costs. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of success, look for an advocate who’ll fight tirelessly and tenaciously for your rights… in fact, an advocate like one from our round-up of the ten top-rated Boca Raton Personal Injury lawyers.

10. Jeffrey Alan Adelman

If you want your case resolved quickly, efficiently, and successfully, you might want to consider putting it in the hands of Jeffrey Alan Adelman, an advocate of more than 40 years experience who knows exactly what it takes to win – and does just that.

9. Ronald Michael Zakarin

Ronald Michael Zakarin has been representing Personal Injury victims and their families for over 35 years, and his extensive experience shows in a solid record of securing substantial settlements and rewards. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of a favorable verdict, you could do far worse than engage his services.

8. Darryl Brent Kogan

If you’re in the market for an experienced lawyer with an outstanding reputation, you won’t be disappointed with Darryl Brent Kogan. Over the past 35 years, he’s represented thousands of Personal Injury victims and their families in Boca Raton and throughout Florida… and as his 10.0 Avvo rating and membership of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum attests, he’s not exactly been doing a bad job of it.

7. Carissa Ashley Kranz

Carissa Ashley Kranz has managed to do what most advocates would love to, but few manage – achieve a top-rated 10.0 peer review score on Avvo. But it’s not just her peers who judge her highly. As her reviews attest, her clients are pretty in awe of her abilities too, with one commenting ‘I hired Carissa after another large firm dropped my case. She was fantastic! I got triple my original offer from the insurance company. She even contacted doctors and had my medical bills reduced or eliminated. This was great because some of the charges went to collections since it was missed by the PIP. I would recommend her to anyone,’ while another adds to the fandom with “Carissa Kranz really fought and represented to me in my best interest!!! She got the best compensation $100.000.thousand for the accident that leaves permanent injuries in my back!! She is the best!!!”.

6. Chane Socarras PLLC

Earlier this year, Expertise drew up a list of 78 Personal Injury lawyers in Boca Raton. After sorting through who ranked the highest on more than 25 variables across five categories (including reputation, credibility, experience, availability, and professionalism), they narrowed the list down to just 20. Among their number is Chane Socarras PLLC, a personal injury law firm with a solid record of success in a broad range of Personal Injury matters, including vehicle accidents, slips and falls, premises liability and negligent security, construction issues and wrongful death. Personal injury cases are taken on a no-win, no-fee basis, meaning you don’t part with a cent unless they bring home a win.

5. Jared P. Greenberg

Jared P. Greenberg has accolades a-plenty, including the highest possible rating of AV Preeminent through Martindale-Hubbell and inclusion on The National Trial Lawyers “Top 40 under 40” civil plaintiff litigators in Florida. He also has an outstanding reputation for securing substantial settlements across a range of Personal Injury matters (including motor vehicle accidents, bicycle accidents, construction accidents, contaminated food, cruise ship injuries, dog bites, motorcycle accidents, nursing home neglect, pedestrian accidents, premises liability, trucking accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, wrongful death, and other catastrophic injuries), a fact that no doubt explains why Super Lawyers have named him a ‘Top Rated Personal Injury Attorney in Boca Raton, FL’.

4. Joseph A. Osborne, JR.

Thanks to his membership of the exclusive Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, no one could argue that Joseph A. Osborne, JR. doesn’t have what it takes to bring home big wins for his clients. Experienced across a broad spectrum of Personal Injury matters (including medical malpractice, birth injury, wrongful death, brain injury, toxic mold, and trucking accidents), his reputation for professionalism and excellence is almost unparalleled – something that may explain why’s he’s considered one of Boca Raton’s top-rated Personal Injury lawyers.

3. Jason D. Weisser

Finding a lawyer who knows how much work goes into winning a successful verdict is one thing. Finding one prepared to actually do that work is another. If you want an advocate who won’t treat your case in a ‘paint by numbers’ way, who’ll go the extra mile to secure justice, and who’ll fight aggressively and unreservedly for your interests at every step of the way, the two-time recipient of the Florida Justice Association Bronze Eagle Award, Jason D. Weisser, could very well be your ideal match.

2. Michael Brevda

Michael Brevda may only have been practicing since 2010, but in that short time, he’s managed to mark himself out as one of Boca Raton’s top-rated attorneys. Combining a compassionate, personalized service with an aggressive approach to justice, it’s not hard to see why Martindale-Hubbell has awarded him an AV Preeminent peer review rating, nor why Avvo has given him a 10.0 “Superb” rating.

1. Marc C. Brotman

Marc C. Brotman doesn’t believe in justice in a passive way. He believes in going out and fighting for it. Tenacious, aggressive, and resourceful, he goes the extra mile in securing his client’s best interests – something his AV Preeminent rating through Martindale-Hubbell and record of holding the largest jury verdict against the State of Florida, Department of Children and Families, for personal injuries amply attests.

The 10 Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Boca Raton

Boca Raton has no shortage of Personal Injury lawyers, but finding one who’ll see you as anything other than a paycheck might take a little more work than simply flipping through the pages of Yelp. Suffering an injury or accident that wasn’t your fault is stressful enough. The last thing you want is a lawyer who’ll do nothing but compound that stress… or simply add yet another expense to what you’re already paying out in lost wages, medical bills, and rehabilitation costs. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of success, look for an advocate who’ll fight tirelessly and tenaciously for your rights… in fact, an advocate like one from our round-up of the ten top-rated Boca Raton Personal Injury lawyers.

10. Jeffrey Alan Adelman

If you want your case resolved quickly, efficiently, and successfully, you might want to consider putting it in the hands of Jeffrey Alan Adelman, an advocate of more than 40 years experience who knows exactly what it takes to win – and does just that.

9. Ronald Michael Zakarin

Ronald Michael Zakarin has been representing Personal Injury victims and their families for over 35 years, and his extensive experience shows in a solid record of securing substantial settlements and rewards. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of a favorable verdict, you could do far worse than engage his services.

8. Darryl Brent Kogan

If you’re in the market for an experienced lawyer with an outstanding reputation, you won’t be disappointed with Darryl Brent Kogan. Over the past 35 years, he’s represented thousands of Personal Injury victims and their families in Boca Raton and throughout Florida… and as his 10.0 Avvo rating and membership of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum attests, he’s not exactly been doing a bad job of it.

7. Carissa Ashley Kranz

Carissa Ashley Kranz has managed to do what most advocates would love to, but few manage – achieve a top-rated 10.0 peer review score on Avvo. But it’s not just her peers who judge her highly. As her reviews attest, her clients are pretty in awe of her abilities too, with one commenting ‘I hired Carissa after another large firm dropped my case. She was fantastic! I got triple my original offer from the insurance company. She even contacted doctors and had my medical bills reduced or eliminated. This was great because some of the charges went to collections since it was missed by the PIP. I would recommend her to anyone,’ while another adds to the fandom with “Carissa Kranz really fought and represented to me in my best interest!!! She got the best compensation $100.000.thousand for the accident that leaves permanent injuries in my back!! She is the best!!!”.

6. Chane Socarras PLLC

Earlier this year, Expertise drew up a list of 78 Personal Injury lawyers in Boca Raton. After sorting through who ranked the highest on more than 25 variables across five categories (including reputation, credibility, experience, availability, and professionalism), they narrowed the list down to just 20. Among their number is Chane Socarras PLLC, a personal injury law firm with a solid record of success in a broad range of Personal Injury matters, including vehicle accidents, slips and falls, premises liability and negligent security, construction issues and wrongful death. Personal injury cases are taken on a no-win, no-fee basis, meaning you don’t part with a cent unless they bring home a win.

5. Jared P. Greenberg

Jared P. Greenberg has accolades a-plenty, including the highest possible rating of AV Preeminent through Martindale-Hubbell and inclusion on The National Trial Lawyers “Top 40 under 40” civil plaintiff litigators in Florida. He also has an outstanding reputation for securing substantial settlements across a range of Personal Injury matters (including motor vehicle accidents, bicycle accidents, construction accidents, contaminated food, cruise ship injuries, dog bites, motorcycle accidents, nursing home neglect, pedestrian accidents, premises liability, trucking accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, wrongful death, and other catastrophic injuries), a fact that no doubt explains why Super Lawyers have named him a ‘Top Rated Personal Injury Attorney in Boca Raton, FL’.

4. Joseph A. Osborne, JR.

Thanks to his membership of the exclusive Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, no one could argue that Joseph A. Osborne, JR. doesn’t have what it takes to bring home big wins for his clients. Experienced across a broad spectrum of Personal Injury matters (including medical malpractice, birth injury, wrongful death, brain injury, toxic mold, and trucking accidents), his reputation for professionalism and excellence is almost unparalleled – something that may explain why’s he’s considered one of Boca Raton’s top-rated Personal Injury lawyers.

3. Jason D. Weisser

Finding a lawyer who knows how much work goes into winning a successful verdict is one thing. Finding one prepared to actually do that work is another. If you want an advocate who won’t treat your case in a ‘paint by numbers’ way, who’ll go the extra mile to secure justice, and who’ll fight aggressively and unreservedly for your interests at every step of the way, the two-time recipient of the Florida Justice Association Bronze Eagle Award, Jason D. Weisser, could very well be your ideal match.

2. Michael Brevda

Michael Brevda may only have been practicing since 2010, but in that short time, he’s managed to mark himself out as one of Boca Raton’s top-rated attorneys. Combining a compassionate, personalized service with an aggressive approach to justice, it’s not hard to see why Martindale-Hubbell has awarded him an AV Preeminent peer review rating, nor why Avvo has given him a 10.0 “Superb” rating.

1. Marc C. Brotman

Marc C. Brotman doesn’t believe in justice in a passive way. He believes in going out and fighting for it. Tenacious, aggressive, and resourceful, he goes the extra mile in securing his client’s best interests – something his AV Preeminent rating through Martindale-Hubbell and record of holding the largest jury verdict against the State of Florida, Department of Children and Families, for personal injuries amply attests.

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US News and World Report Best Lawyers

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Carissa Ashley Kranz

3801 Pga Blvd Ste 600 Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410
What legal services does this lawyer offer?
Nearby Lawyers See All
Law School
University of California – Berkeley
Graduated 2010
Bar Admissions
District of Columbia
Admitted in 2010
Florida
Admitted in 2010
New York
Admitted in 2010
Contact Details and Office Locations
3801 Pga Blvd Ste 600
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410
See the listing here.

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Carissa Ashley Kranz

3801 Pga Blvd Ste 600 Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410
What legal services does this lawyer offer?
Nearby Lawyers See All
Law School
University of California – Berkeley
Graduated 2010
Bar Admissions
District of Columbia
Admitted in 2010
Florida
Admitted in 2010
New York
Admitted in 2010
Contact Details and Office Locations
3801 Pga Blvd Ste 600
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410
See the listing here.
Read more
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12 News: What’s next in the investigation into the SUV that hit 4 high schoolers at bus stop?

This article was originally posted on 12 News.

Just before sunrise, a little more than a week ago, an SUV jumped a curb and hit four Royal Palm Beach High School students waiting for the school bus.

Two of the students, Chand Wazir, 15, and Tiana Johnson, 15, died of their injuries. Two other students went to the hospital with serious injuries and were later discharged.

The driver of the SUV has not been charged with a crime. But, questions still swirl around the incident.

Documents obtained by CBS 12 News show deputies who responded to the scene of the crash found the driver to be “lethargic” shortly after the incident, saying he had “trouble getting up and down, losing his balance.”

Two deputies believed the driver may have been impaired, according to the documents. But a witness said his behavior could have also been described by a head injury possibly sustained in the crash.

Right now, investigators are in the process of reviewing dozens of pills found in the crumpled SUV. Most of the pills investigators found likely would not have impaired someone’s ability to drive, according to a review of sheriff’s office records.

However, investigators found unlabeled pill bottles and unmarked “brown capsules” in the car and are in the process of identifying those.

The sheriff’s office is also still waiting on the results of a toxicology report, after the driver agreed to have his blood drawn at the scene. Legal experts consulted by CBS12 News say the future of the case may hinge on the results of that test.

“Based on what the toxicology shows could mean there will be criminal charges in addition to civil charges,” said attorney Carissa Kranz, who specializes in car accident cases.

However, the results of that test could take a while. Ian Goldstein, a West Palm Beach defense attorney who frequently handles cases that include evidence tested in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office lab, says toxicology results typically take weeks or even months to come back.

“The sheriff’s lab is constantly backed up,” Goldstein told CBS 12 News. “They have more work than they can get done in a timely manner.”

Prosecutors will likely gather all evidence possible before deciding whether or not to charge the driver.

Under Florida law, once charges or filed or an arrest is made, prosecutors have a set window of time to bring the case to trial. Meaning, law enforcement officials typically try to gather as much evidence as possible before the so-called “speedy trial” window begins.

“This is a very serious case, they need to make sure they get it right,” Goldstein added.

This article was originally posted on 12 News.

Just before sunrise, a little more than a week ago, an SUV jumped a curb and hit four Royal Palm Beach High School students waiting for the school bus.

Two of the students, Chand Wazir, 15, and Tiana Johnson, 15, died of their injuries. Two other students went to the hospital with serious injuries and were later discharged.

The driver of the SUV has not been charged with a crime. But, questions still swirl around the incident.

Documents obtained by CBS 12 News show deputies who responded to the scene of the crash found the driver to be “lethargic” shortly after the incident, saying he had “trouble getting up and down, losing his balance.”

Two deputies believed the driver may have been impaired, according to the documents. But a witness said his behavior could have also been described by a head injury possibly sustained in the crash.

Right now, investigators are in the process of reviewing dozens of pills found in the crumpled SUV. Most of the pills investigators found likely would not have impaired someone’s ability to drive, according to a review of sheriff’s office records.

However, investigators found unlabeled pill bottles and unmarked “brown capsules” in the car and are in the process of identifying those.

The sheriff’s office is also still waiting on the results of a toxicology report, after the driver agreed to have his blood drawn at the scene. Legal experts consulted by CBS12 News say the future of the case may hinge on the results of that test.

“Based on what the toxicology shows could mean there will be criminal charges in addition to civil charges,” said attorney Carissa Kranz, who specializes in car accident cases.

However, the results of that test could take a while. Ian Goldstein, a West Palm Beach defense attorney who frequently handles cases that include evidence tested in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office lab, says toxicology results typically take weeks or even months to come back.

“The sheriff’s lab is constantly backed up,” Goldstein told CBS 12 News. “They have more work than they can get done in a timely manner.”

Prosecutors will likely gather all evidence possible before deciding whether or not to charge the driver.

Under Florida law, once charges or filed or an arrest is made, prosecutors have a set window of time to bring the case to trial. Meaning, law enforcement officials typically try to gather as much evidence as possible before the so-called “speedy trial” window begins.

“This is a very serious case, they need to make sure they get it right,” Goldstein added.

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CBS12: Driver lethargic, stumbling and disoriented after deadly school bus stop crash: PBSO

The search warrant on the driver who hit four high school students waiting for their bus shows investigators and others at the scene of the crash thought he was impaired when they saw and spoke with him, shortly after the tragic crash.

The driver is a 57-year-old man who lives in Royal Palm Beach and he was driving a gray 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV last Tuesday morning, March 22.

He was heading northbound on Crestview Boulevard approaching Cypress Lake Drive just before 7 a.m. when his car “drifted to the right, over a bicycle lane, and collided with the curb with the passenger side front tire,” according to the many pages of notes on both the driver, who has not been charged with a crime, and his car.

The lead investigator reported he was conducting an accident investigation. The roadway evidence was considered.

Then, he wrote that he “observed two medication pill bottles inside the vehicle in plain view. One bottle was on the driver side front floorboard and the other bottle was on the passenger side front seat. Both bottles contained pills and did not have labels on them.”

He also mentioned seeing a black backpack with a zipper and shoulder straps.

By then, the victims had been taken to hospitals.

The investigator met up with another investigator who arrived at the scene earlier. He wrote the other investigator told him “when he made contact with [the driver] he saw indications of impairment. He noticed [the driver] had slow movements and seemed lethargic.”

Then, the lead investigator met up with the driver, “as he was sitting on the curb next to his vehicle.”

He wrote, “[The driver] told me he was driving [his car] northbound on Crestwood Boulevard and struck a curb. He said [his car] crashed and didn’t know what happened after that.”

The investigator said the driver gave consent for a blood sample. That blood sample, known as a toxicology report, will be able to tell what if anything was in the driver’s system at the time of the crash.

CBS12 News reporter Andrew Lofholm asked personal injury lawyer and expert in these kinds of crashes, Carissa Kranz, about what we can take away from the search warrants.

“The fact that he submitted to a toxicology report, which means we should probably wait to pass judgment on whether or not he was under the influence,” Kranz said. “He’s already guilty [of] these horrible acts of killing these children and injuring others. The motive behind that, the why behind that, we don’t know. It could be because he was under the influence. The toxicology report could lend more certainty and credibility.”

The investigator wrote about the driver’s demeanor, “During my interaction with [the driver], he appeared lethargic, slow and seemed dehydrated. His pupils were constricted and his mouth was dry. He had trouble keeping his eyes open and the sunlight seemed to bother him. He stumbled while standing and walking. He had trouble getting up and down losing his balance.”

Then, the investigator got Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel to blood draw from the driver, in the back of their rescue rig.

The investigator wrote that a deputy who said she was the first officer at the scene, and off duty at the time, contacted him.

He wrote that, “She said when she arrived she saw [the driver] in the driver seat of [the car]. [She] said her in car video system was recording when she activated her overhead lights. [She] said when she made contact with [the driver] he got out of the driver seat and stumbled around when he walked. She said she believed he was impaired and stayed with him until other units arrived.”

Then, he mentioned another investigator meeting with a witness who called 911.

She reportedly said the driver “opened the driver’s door and get out. [She] said the [driver] was stumbling around and seemed disoriented. [She] thought he might have had a head injury. [She] said the paramedics got there fast and she did not want to get in the way and left the area.”

The investigator wrote that he spoke with trauma personnel at St. Mary’s Medical Center, where three of the victims had been taken. “They stated [two victims] suffered grave injuries as a result of this crash and they were not expected to survive. Both had massive head trauma and were unresponsive. [The third victim] had serious injuries to his face from this crash and he was expected to survive.”

The fourth victim had been taken to Palms West Medical Center. He “had an injury to his leg and was not seriously injured.”

The next morning, March 23, “I was contacted by St. Mary’s Medical Center that [Tiana Johnson, 15] was pronounced dead as a result of her injuries sustained in this crash.

It was at that point, the investigator wrote in his report, “Based on the aforementioned information, it is concluded the driver of [the car] is in violation of the Florida State Statute Driving Under the Influence Manslaughter.”

This portion of the report was written one day after the crash, on March 23. That was the day of Tiana’s death, which allowed for the mention of manslaughter. The report was released a week later, on March 30.

Chand Wazir, 15, died on Friday, three days after the crash, and after this portion of the report was written.

He was not mentioned. Neither were the two other crash victims, who are out of the hospital.

The driver reportedly consented to having his blood drawn and tested. No search warrant was necessary. The toxicology results have not been released.

The sheriff’s office actually had to apply for and receive at least three search warrants. Information on three have been released.

One was for the car itself. Specifically, “A search of the interior and exterior of the vehicle for evidence including, but not limited to: any evidence, such as personal effects of the suspect/driver of the vehicle which was used in the commission of a felony; any automotive information or parts which tend to indicate the mechanical condition of said vehicle, any paint, glass, medals, rubber, plastics, steering wheel, gear shift handle, seats, and door panels, which may be relevant to the causation of the crash, weather located on the outside or within the interior and locked interior areas of the vehicle as evidence of who was the operator/driver, and the victim who was struck and killed by this vehicle or any other violation of law.”

The second search warrant was for evidence “located within a black zipper bag with shoulder straps (backpack) located on the ground next to a gray, 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio sport utility vehicle.”

There were two lists in the paperwork. Both were dated Thursday, March 24.

The first inventory list said the investigator found:

  • a black knox vape pen with brown liquid,
  • a brown bottle with liquid inside labeled SUN MED,
  • two white bottles labeled Tren 75,
  • 161 brown capsules, and
  • a clear bottle with liquid labeled clear eyes.

The second inventory list was longer. It said the investigator found:

  • DNA swab on the passenger side A pillar,
  • DNA swab on the center windshield,
  • hair from the passenger side A pillar,
  • three brown oval pills marked FJ4,
  • 15 tan oval pills marked L339,
  • nine white oval pills marked I10,
  • half white oval pill marked I10, and
  • two brown unmarked pill bottles.

The third search warrant was for a device in the car, specifically evidence contained in that device which is called an Event Data Recorder (EDR) or Airbag Control Module (ACM). The EDR is mounted in the car’s operating system and “is designed to store information about how the vehicle is operating.”

This information includes some or all of the following to include restraint system performance, driver actions, vehicle conditions, velocity changes, and additional stored information.

Investigators wrote in their application for the search warrant, “The EDR may have stored information regarding this specific crash. It is this information regarding restraint system performance, driver action(s), vehicle condition(s), velocity change(s), etc.,” they wanted.

They added, getting information from the EDR requires special equipment specifically designed to gather that information without distorting or changing the data. They planned to keep the EDR inside the car unless it needed to be removed.

The results of that search warrant have not been released.

The car was being kept at the sheriff’s office’s Vehicle Impound Facility on Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach.

The vehicle homicide investigator wrote that he has been in law enforcement for 27 years and has testified as an expert witness in the field of traffic crash reconstruction on numerous occasions in Palm Beach County.

The search warrant on the driver who hit four high school students waiting for their bus shows investigators and others at the scene of the crash thought he was impaired when they saw and spoke with him, shortly after the tragic crash.

The driver is a 57-year-old man who lives in Royal Palm Beach and he was driving a gray 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV last Tuesday morning, March 22.

He was heading northbound on Crestview Boulevard approaching Cypress Lake Drive just before 7 a.m. when his car “drifted to the right, over a bicycle lane, and collided with the curb with the passenger side front tire,” according to the many pages of notes on both the driver, who has not been charged with a crime, and his car.

The lead investigator reported he was conducting an accident investigation. The roadway evidence was considered.

Then, he wrote that he “observed two medication pill bottles inside the vehicle in plain view. One bottle was on the driver side front floorboard and the other bottle was on the passenger side front seat. Both bottles contained pills and did not have labels on them.”

He also mentioned seeing a black backpack with a zipper and shoulder straps.

By then, the victims had been taken to hospitals.

The investigator met up with another investigator who arrived at the scene earlier. He wrote the other investigator told him “when he made contact with [the driver] he saw indications of impairment. He noticed [the driver] had slow movements and seemed lethargic.”

Then, the lead investigator met up with the driver, “as he was sitting on the curb next to his vehicle.”

He wrote, “[The driver] told me he was driving [his car] northbound on Crestwood Boulevard and struck a curb. He said [his car] crashed and didn’t know what happened after that.”

The investigator said the driver gave consent for a blood sample. That blood sample, known as a toxicology report, will be able to tell what if anything was in the driver’s system at the time of the crash.

CBS12 News reporter Andrew Lofholm asked personal injury lawyer and expert in these kinds of crashes, Carissa Kranz, about what we can take away from the search warrants.

“The fact that he submitted to a toxicology report, which means we should probably wait to pass judgment on whether or not he was under the influence,” Kranz said. “He’s already guilty [of] these horrible acts of killing these children and injuring others. The motive behind that, the why behind that, we don’t know. It could be because he was under the influence. The toxicology report could lend more certainty and credibility.”

The investigator wrote about the driver’s demeanor, “During my interaction with [the driver], he appeared lethargic, slow and seemed dehydrated. His pupils were constricted and his mouth was dry. He had trouble keeping his eyes open and the sunlight seemed to bother him. He stumbled while standing and walking. He had trouble getting up and down losing his balance.”

Then, the investigator got Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel to blood draw from the driver, in the back of their rescue rig.

The investigator wrote that a deputy who said she was the first officer at the scene, and off duty at the time, contacted him.

He wrote that, “She said when she arrived she saw [the driver] in the driver seat of [the car]. [She] said her in car video system was recording when she activated her overhead lights. [She] said when she made contact with [the driver] he got out of the driver seat and stumbled around when he walked. She said she believed he was impaired and stayed with him until other units arrived.”

Then, he mentioned another investigator meeting with a witness who called 911.

She reportedly said the driver “opened the driver’s door and get out. [She] said the [driver] was stumbling around and seemed disoriented. [She] thought he might have had a head injury. [She] said the paramedics got there fast and she did not want to get in the way and left the area.”

The investigator wrote that he spoke with trauma personnel at St. Mary’s Medical Center, where three of the victims had been taken. “They stated [two victims] suffered grave injuries as a result of this crash and they were not expected to survive. Both had massive head trauma and were unresponsive. [The third victim] had serious injuries to his face from this crash and he was expected to survive.”

The fourth victim had been taken to Palms West Medical Center. He “had an injury to his leg and was not seriously injured.”

The next morning, March 23, “I was contacted by St. Mary’s Medical Center that [Tiana Johnson, 15] was pronounced dead as a result of her injuries sustained in this crash.

It was at that point, the investigator wrote in his report, “Based on the aforementioned information, it is concluded the driver of [the car] is in violation of the Florida State Statute Driving Under the Influence Manslaughter.”

This portion of the report was written one day after the crash, on March 23. That was the day of Tiana’s death, which allowed for the mention of manslaughter. The report was released a week later, on March 30.

Chand Wazir, 15, died on Friday, three days after the crash, and after this portion of the report was written.

He was not mentioned. Neither were the two other crash victims, who are out of the hospital.

The driver reportedly consented to having his blood drawn and tested. No search warrant was necessary. The toxicology results have not been released.

The sheriff’s office actually had to apply for and receive at least three search warrants. Information on three have been released.

One was for the car itself. Specifically, “A search of the interior and exterior of the vehicle for evidence including, but not limited to: any evidence, such as personal effects of the suspect/driver of the vehicle which was used in the commission of a felony; any automotive information or parts which tend to indicate the mechanical condition of said vehicle, any paint, glass, medals, rubber, plastics, steering wheel, gear shift handle, seats, and door panels, which may be relevant to the causation of the crash, weather located on the outside or within the interior and locked interior areas of the vehicle as evidence of who was the operator/driver, and the victim who was struck and killed by this vehicle or any other violation of law.”

The second search warrant was for evidence “located within a black zipper bag with shoulder straps (backpack) located on the ground next to a gray, 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio sport utility vehicle.”

There were two lists in the paperwork. Both were dated Thursday, March 24.

The first inventory list said the investigator found:

  • a black knox vape pen with brown liquid,
  • a brown bottle with liquid inside labeled SUN MED,
  • two white bottles labeled Tren 75,
  • 161 brown capsules, and
  • a clear bottle with liquid labeled clear eyes.

The second inventory list was longer. It said the investigator found:

  • DNA swab on the passenger side A pillar,
  • DNA swab on the center windshield,
  • hair from the passenger side A pillar,
  • three brown oval pills marked FJ4,
  • 15 tan oval pills marked L339,
  • nine white oval pills marked I10,
  • half white oval pill marked I10, and
  • two brown unmarked pill bottles.

The third search warrant was for a device in the car, specifically evidence contained in that device which is called an Event Data Recorder (EDR) or Airbag Control Module (ACM). The EDR is mounted in the car’s operating system and “is designed to store information about how the vehicle is operating.”

This information includes some or all of the following to include restraint system performance, driver actions, vehicle conditions, velocity changes, and additional stored information.

Investigators wrote in their application for the search warrant, “The EDR may have stored information regarding this specific crash. It is this information regarding restraint system performance, driver action(s), vehicle condition(s), velocity change(s), etc.,” they wanted.

They added, getting information from the EDR requires special equipment specifically designed to gather that information without distorting or changing the data. They planned to keep the EDR inside the car unless it needed to be removed.

The results of that search warrant have not been released.

The car was being kept at the sheriff’s office’s Vehicle Impound Facility on Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach.

The vehicle homicide investigator wrote that he has been in law enforcement for 27 years and has testified as an expert witness in the field of traffic crash reconstruction on numerous occasions in Palm Beach County.

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