A young Florida mother was killed last year when her car’s counterfeit airbag “detonated like a grenade,” according to a lawsuit.
Destiny Byassee’s used 2020 Chevy Malibu passed through multiple conmen before its fake emergency airbags deployed in a June frontal collision, causing a blast that “shot metal and plastic shrapnel throughout” the car, her family alleges.
“Several fragments from the blast struck Ms. Byassee in the face, head, and neck, ultimately killing her,” stated the complaint, obtained by Law & Crime.
Destiny Byassee was killed last year when her car’s counterfeit airbag “detonated like a grenade.” Destiny Byassee /Facebook
The 22-year-old “was a mother of two young children and had her entire life ahead of her,” attorney John Morgan, who is also representing the family, said in a news release.
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According to the lawsuit, Byassee bought the doomed sedan from DriveTime, a national used car company, without being given a full history of the car.
The former Enterprise Rent-A-Car car was involved in a devastating September 2022 crash that caused damage that “was so significant that the vehicle should have been classified as a total loss, issued a salvage title, and removed from service,” the lawsuit alleges.
Rather than scrap the vehicle, Enterprise allegedly sold the car to DriveTime through Manheim Auctions, Inc., which bills itself as the largest wholesale automobile auction company in the world.
It was then repaired at Jumbo Automotive in Hollywood, Florida, the complaint continues, claiming that shop owner Haim Levy “purchased counterfeit and non-compliant airbag components” by a Chinese company to replace the Chevrolet factory airbag “and proceeded to install these components into the subject Chevy Malibu.”
Fake emergency airbags deployed in a June frontal collision, causing a blast that “shot metal and plastic shrapnel throughout” the car, her family alleges. Morgan & Morgan Law Firm
Not only were the dangerous fake bags used, but Levy allegedly repaired the deployed seatbelt pretensioner — the part of a complete system that tightens the belt during a crash — incorrectly, but in a cunning way that made it appear to work properly.
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Byassee “had no idea that the vehicle had been improperly and illegally repaired,” her family said.
Both the counterfeit airbag and faulty seatbelt pretensioner “were signaled to deploy” during the June 2023 collision, according to the lawsuit.
“However, because the subject Chevy Malibu’s front driver-side seatbelt pretensioner was inoperable, the pretensioner did not deploy as originally designed,” the lawsuit states. “Worse, because the subject Chevy Malibu’s front driver-side airbag system included counterfeit and non-compliant components, the airbag detonated like a grenade and shot metal and plastic shrapnel throughout the vehicle cabin.”
The filing pointedly said that photographs depicted the “horrifying event,” including one of the “shredded and blood-soaked front driver-side airbag.”
Rather than scrap the vehicle, Enterprise allegedly sold the car to DriveTime through Manheim Auctions, Inc., which bills itself as the largest wholesale automobile auction company in the world. Christopher Sadowski
Cathy King, Byassee’s grandmother, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the 6- and 4-year-old children the young woman left behind, as well as her husband and mother.
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Byassee “believed she was buying a safe and reliable vehicle, but our lawsuit alleges that several automotive companies worked to skirt the system by repairing what should’ve been a totaled vehicle, all just to make money,” Morgan said in the release.
“Because of that, Ms. Byassee lost her life, and her children will grow up without their mother.”
Byassee “had no idea that the vehicle had been improperly and illegally repaired,” her family said. Destiny Byassee /Facebook
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial on 14 various counts against the various defendants – including strict liability, negligence and deceptive trade practices.
Neither Enterprise, Manheim, DriveTime nor Jumbo Automotive immediately answered The Post’s request for comment.
Florida Highway Patrol Logo (WJXT, Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – A 21-year-old Fernandina Beach man is dead following a crash on State Road A1A in Nassau County Thursday night.
The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene at South Fletcher Avenue and Askins Avenue around 9:30 p.m.
According to FHP, the motorcyclist was traveling northbound on S. Fletcher Ave. when he struck an unoccupied sport utility vehicle that was stopped perpendicular to the roadway in the northbound lane. Troopers say the SUV’s driver had exited the vehicle to unhitch a trailer at the time of the crash.
The front of the motorcycle collided with the left side of the SUV. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, according to the report.
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FHP pronounced the motorcycle rider dead at the scene. The SUV driver was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation.
Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
Florida health officials are pushing back at quarantine guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius exposed to the deadly Andes hantavirus.
One American who was on the cruise ship says she’s stuck in the middle and unable to leave federal quarantine.
“I’m being held hostage in this power struggle between a state and the federal government,” said Angela Perryman, 47, who has been at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s National Quarantine Unit since May 11.
“I don’t think there has been a day since I’ve been here that I didn’t cry,” she said.
Perryman said that health officials previously told passengers that they would be able to leave federal quarantine by the end of May and spend the rest of their 42-day quarantine under home supervision. The first five went home June 1.
Like all Americans aboard the cruise ship, Perryman has tested negative for the Andes virus.
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Angela Perryman, seen here on an excursion from the MV Hondius, said she hasn’t been able to go a day without crying since she disembarked.Courtesy Angela Perryman
States were required by the CDC to station law enforcement or public health employees outside the homes of quarantined passengers for surveillance.
It was up to state health departments to figure out how to accomplish that for passengers who chose to go home.
Florida health officials, it appears, have a different approach.
“At this time, neither the state of Florida nor the Department is planning to implement round-the-clock surveillance measures,” Brian Wright, a spokesman for the Florida Health Department, said in an email. “The state does not believe unnecessarily intrusive restrictions are warranted when established public health practices can effectively protect both public health and personal freedom.”
The agency, which didn’t provide an official response, has named Dr. David Fitter to lead its response under the temporary leadership of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who has criticized the CDC’s restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Perryman, a Florida native, is one of 18 Americans who were on the Hondius when the rare hantavirus outbreak struck in May. They were taken to the Nebraska unit, where some of the first Covid patients who’d been aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in early 2020, as well as several Ebola patients in 2014, were treated.
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As of Thursday, 10 of the Hondius passengers have left the federal facility and are now under surveillance in their home states, until the end of the virus’s full 42-day quarantine period, set to end June 22, a University of Nebraska Medical Center spokesperson confirmed.
The passengers’ trips home were coordinated by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, as well as local and state health departments.
The Hondius off the port of Praia, Cape Verde, on May 5.AFP via Getty Images file
“The individuals did not travel commercially, and appropriate biocontainment measures were in place during their transport,” the medical center said in a statement.
Eight passengers, including Perryman, remain in Nebraska. The only other passenger still in Nebraska who has spoken publicly about the ordeal is Jake Rosmarin, who’s posted about his time in quarantine on Instagram.
Generally, the virus is spread from rodents to people. The Andes strain is the only one known to spread from person to person.
The World Health Organization confirmed 13 cases of Andes virus associated with the cruise ship, and three people have died. None of the Americans have developed symptoms.
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That fatality rate — 23% — is one of the reasons health officials have been particularly focused on keeping any potential for viral spread contained. And the incubation period is exceptionally long. It can take up to six weeks for symptoms of hantavirus to appear.
Perryman said that all she wants to do is walk into her yard and take photos of birds and bugs.
“I want to go home,” she said, “and stay in my house and have no contact with anyone.”
Want to take dinner and drinks to new heights? While Collier County may not have as many rooftop venues as larger Florida cities, the handful of elevated restaurants and bars the county features are stunning and worth visiting.
From downtown Naples views and a waterfront mangrove oasis to beautiful Gulf sunsets on Marco Island, these rooftop destinations have mastered the art of pairing scenery with food and cocktails.
Here’s three rooftop restaurants and bars in Collier County to check out this summer.
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Tigress Restaurant & Rooftop Bar
Tigress is located on the seventh floor of The Perry Hotel Naples and has quickly become one of the most talked-about dining destinations since its debut a couple years ago. From its rooftop terrace, guests can take in panoramic views of the Cocohatchee River and its surrounding mangrove estuaries.
The open air rooftop bar features a huge island bar in the center of the space, inviting guests to grab a drink before dinner. There’s a few tables to dine at as well, but many guests opt to enjoy their meals inside the darker interior dining room. The interior room features a large window so the rooftop views aren’t lost.
The menu is full of delicious and modern takes on traditional Cantonese dishes, like dry-aged crown of duck with Hong Kong French toast and Mongolian barbecue pork ribs.
Located on top of the AC Hotel Naples Fifth Avenue, Limon Rooftop Bar is one of Naples’ few elevated dining and drinking experiences. The open-air rooftop provides views of colorful sunsets and the bustling Fifth Avenue South. The views are more urban than waterfront, but Limon provides a unique dining experience regardless.
The combination of handcrafted cocktails, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, and city views has made Limon a popular spot for locals and visitors alike. Its downtown location gives guests a great venue to enjoy a meal at before a night on the town.
(455 12th Street S., Naples; 239-944-3755; limonrooftop.com)
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Tesoro JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort
Looking for unobstructed Gulf views? Make a reservation at Tesoro, JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort’s adults-only restaurant. Tesoro overlooks the Gulf and Marco Island’s white sand shoreline, giving guests beautiful waterfront views to enjoy during dinner. The rooftop terrace provides front-row seats to Southwest Florida’s most beautiful nightly display: a stunning sunset.
Enjoy Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with a unique Italian flair along with a lively weekend atmosphere with a resident DJ. Expect fresh Gulf seafood, shareable plates, and handcrafted cocktails against a beautiful beach view.
(400 S. Collier Blvd., Marco Island; 239-393-3208; tesoroatjwmarco.com)
Kendall Little is the food & dining reporter for Naples Daily News. Questions, comments, or tips? Email Kendall.Little@NaplesNews.com.
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