Connect with us

Florida

Florida man charged with DUI after crashing e-bike into tricycle in Key West, deputies say

Published

on

Florida man charged with DUI after crashing e-bike into tricycle in Key West, deputies say


A 53-year-old Key West man was arrested on DUI and drug charges after deputies say he crashed an e-bike into a tricycle while intoxicated.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened around 10:26 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, near South College Road and U.S. 1 in Key West. Deputies said there were no serious injuries reported.

Authorities identified the man as Christian Everett Madrid. He faces charges of driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and smuggling contraband into a detention facility.

Investigators said Madrid was riding an e-bike when he collided with an adult riding a tricycle. The other rider told deputies that Madrid ran into him and appeared to be intoxicated.

Advertisement

Deputies said Saturday that Madrid was taken into custody after failing field sobriety exercises at the scene.

While being booked into jail, authorities said approximately three marijuana cigarettes were found in his possession, leading to the additional contraband charge.

What Florida law says about riding an e-bike while intoxicated

Under Florida law, electric bicycles are generally treated like traditional bicycles, meaning riders are not required to have a driver’s license and are not subject to the same registration rules as motor vehicles. However, when it comes to impairment, the law still applies.

Florida’s DUI statute makes it illegal to operate any vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the extent that normal faculties are impaired. Courts in Florida have interpreted “vehicle” broadly, and that can include bicycles and e-bikes in certain cases, according to law firm The Ticket Clinic.

A first-time DUI conviction in Florida can carry penalties including fines ranging from $500 to $1,000, up to six months in jail, probation, and mandatory substance abuse education. Additional charges, such as drug possession or bringing contraband into a jail, can increase potential penalties.

Advertisement



Source link

Advertisement

Florida

US Coast Guard saves 8, including infant and child, after vessel capsizes off Fort Myers Beach

Published

on

US Coast Guard saves 8, including infant and child, after vessel capsizes off Fort Myers Beach


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A quick-thinking crew from U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach saved eight lives, including an infant and a child, after a boat capsized Friday afternoon near the Sanibel Causeway in Florida.

Responders rushed to the capsized vessel, executing a rapid, coordinated effort that resulted in every person being safely recovered from the water.

Officials credited the success of the operation to the crew’s “relentless” preparation and teamwork.

Advertisement

The U.S. Coast Guard shared photos of the boat nearly completely underwater following the swift rescue. (U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach via Facebook)

AT LEAST 6 PEOPLE INJURED AFTER BOSTON DUCK BOAT OVERTURNS NEAR ENTRANCE TO POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTION

“A successful mission is measured by the lives brought home safely,” U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach wrote in a statement on Facebook.

The Coast Guard emphasized the high-stakes rescue serves as a powerful reminder of why its crews train constantly and remain ready to respond at any hour of the day or night.

Victims were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard in Florida on Fourth of July weekend. (U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach via Facebook)

Advertisement

CBP, COAST GUARD INTERCEPT MIGRANT VESSEL HEADING FOR PUERTO RICO; 40 APPREHENDED INCLUDING UZBEK NATIONAL

“When seconds matter, preparation, communication, and teamwork make all the difference,” the Coast Guard station wrote. “We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and thankful that this incident ended with everyone returning home safely. Our thoughts are with those involved, and we’re proud of every responder who played a role in this successful rescue.”

The U.S. Coast Guard shared photos of the boat sinking into the water near Fort Myers Beach. (U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach via Facebook)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Sanibel Causeway is in southwest Florida, just west of Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast.

Advertisement



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Florida

Florida Supreme Court reverses rule on knock-and-announce evidence

Published

on

Florida Supreme Court reverses rule on knock-and-announce evidence


The Florida Supreme Court is reversing legal precedent that previously required judges to throw out evidence collected by police, when they don’t knock and announce themselves.

Typically, when police conduct a raid with a search warrant without giving residents enough time to answer the door, the evidence gathered is not allowed in court.

The Justices overturned that procedure in a 6-1 ruling.

Justice Meredith Sasso wrote for the majority that Florida’s knock-and-announce statute does not give judges the authority to suppress that evidence.

Advertisement

The ruling stems from a investigation out of Leon County. State and local police obtained a search warrant for a residence connected to a suspected trafficking organization. During the raid, police knocked and announced themselves several times, but only said they had a search warrant moments before barreling through the door.

As the case moved along, a judge ruled to suppress evidence found during that raid.

That decision was appealed and the case made its way up to the state’s Supreme Court.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Florida

USF Health brings emergency pregnancy training to rural Florida without maternal care

Published

on

USF Health brings emergency pregnancy training to rural Florida without maternal care


The University of South Florida is sending medical educators into rural Florida communities to provide critical maternal health care simulation training to local hospital staff and first responders.

Florida rural medical training

Advertisement

The backstory:

Fewer hospitals are delivering babies or providing maternity health care in rural Florida communities, forcing pregnant women to travel hours for care. In response, USF Health launched a state-funded maternal health care training program covering 16 rural counties.

The program is led by a partnership between Florida Center for EMS at USF, Florida Prenatal Quality Collaborative and Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation. It brings high-tech simulation mannequins directly into local patient rooms. These advanced simulators can mimic life-or-death scenarios like seizures, preeclampsia and postpartum hemorrhaging.

Advertisement

“I was really surprised, because my background as a firefighter-paramedic I worked in an urban environment where I had those resources. But going out to the rural communities in the Panhandle, sometimes the transport time is over two hours away,” said Penni Eggers, the director of education and assistant professor at the Florida Center for EMS at USF.

The program has already trained emergency personnel in Calhoun County, and the cities of Perry and Arcadia, teaching critical symptom management from the moment a patient enters an ambulance.

Advertisement

Saving mothers and babies

Why you should care:

According to Eggers, 80% of maternal deaths are preventable, and up to half happen after birth. Providing rural staff with hands-on tools builds the confidence needed to handle critical issues until a patient can be safely transferred to a specialized unit.

Advertisement

Emergency training sentiments

What they’re saying:

“This is actually going to touch more people and save more lives, I think. This is more to me, one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done,” Eggers said.

Advertisement

She added that after training, “they feel much more confident that they can handle an emergency maternal problem, and they feel that they have some tools now and resources that they can actually do their job.”

Expanding medical simulation

What’s next:

Advertisement

The mobile USF Health training team plans to head to Wauchula next to conduct its next simulation exercises for local health care workers.

The initiative began in 2025 as a successful pilot program in Franklin County. The positive results secured a grant through the Florida Department of Health to expand operations, which will fund the training for the next year or two.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo with the director of education Penni Eggers at USF Health’s Florida Center for EMS.

Advertisement

University of South FloridaHealthHealth Care



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending