Can Your Car Turn You In For A Hit And Run?

February 20, 2016 / 2:00 am

In Port St. Lucie, a woman was rushing back to the Christmas party at her dance studio. In the back of her van, she had presents stacked up and ready to draw smiles across the faces of students, family, and friends, but then she drove onto Prima Vista Boulevard…

The Holiday Hit And Run

The dance studio owner was rocked when a Ford Focus bounced off a truck and then hit her minivan. Airbags went off and people had to go to the hospital, but not before the driver of the Ford failed to stay on the scene. When police arrived, the Ford was long gone, and the authorities had no idea how to find the driver until a 911 call came into dispatch.

Can Your Car Turn You In For A Hit And Run?

A Ford Focus, using its automated crash-notification system, was calling 911 to report that it had been in a crash. The dispatcher immediately connected to the Ford’s driver, who denied that anything was wrong at first, but eventually the dispatcher was able to get the woman to admit to fleeing a crash. The police transported the woman to the hospital and then to jail.

What Happened To The Dance Studio Owner?

The owner of the dance studio suffered minor injuries, her Christmas party was ruined, and her minivan now has a long repair bill, but the new technology in the hit-and-run driver’s car may have helped bring the culprit to justice. New technology has the ability to stop or even help track down individuals responsible for crashes like this, and with autonomous vehicles on the horizon it might be possible to eliminate hit and runs.

Do you think new technology will change roadway safety for the better? Let us know on our Facebook and Twitter pages, and keep following our blog to learn about other ways you can hold negligent and distracted drivers responsible for the incidents they cause.

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Colson Hicks Eidson is thrilled to announce that Stephanie Casey, Joseph J. Kalbac Jr., Julie Braman Kane, and Curtis Miner have been named in the 2026 edition of Florida Super Lawyers. 

Super Lawyers uses a rigorous screening process including independent research, peer nominations, and evaluations to rate lawyers. Only 5 percent of lawyers in Florida are rated by Super Lawyers. 

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson represented the Miami-Dade County School Board in reaching a comprehensive settlement with South Florida Public Media Group (SFPMG), resolving litigation concerning the governance, management, and future operation of WLRN.

The agreement formally resolves all litigation between the parties and establishes a framework for the continued growth and stability of public media in South Florida.

Among its key provisions, the settlement allows SFPMG to acquire West Palm Beach radio station WFLM – The Flame and transfer it to the School Board, expanding WLRN’s reach into Palm Beach County. The agreement also extends SFPMG’s management of WLRN and WFLM (upon acquisition) for an additional seven years and includes governance and leadership reforms designed to support the organizations’ long-term success.

The matter was handled by Roberto Martinez, Sabrina S. Saieh, and Zachary A. Lipshultz on behalf of the Miami-Dade County School Board.

The resolution reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that WLRN continues to provide trusted journalism, educational programming, and public service to communities throughout South Florida.

Media coverage includes:

Miami Herald – WLRN, school board settle legal battle. What it means for the station’s future

WLRN – Miami-Dade School Board settles lengthy legal dispute with South Florida Public Media Group

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson has once again earned a Band 1 ranking in the Chambers USA 2026 Guide for Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs in Florida – one of only four law firms in the state to receive this highest ranking. We are especially honored that five of our attorneys were individually recognized for their leadership, legal excellence, and commitment to client service.

Congratulations to Stephanie A. Casey, Julie Braman Kane, and Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson for being recognized in Florida Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs, and to Roberto Martínez and Curtis Miner, who were each recognized in both Florida Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs and Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations.

The rankings reflect the firm’s exceptional track record of securing multimillion-dollar judgments and settlements for clients in matters involving commercial litigation, medical malpractice, products liability, class actions, multidistrict litigation, and aviation and automobile accidents.

We’re grateful to our clients and peers for their continued trust and recognition.


About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8–1 in favor of Havana Docks Corporation, reviving $440 million in judgments against major cruise lines under the Helms-Burton Act for trafficking in confiscated Cuban port facilities.

Colson Hicks Eidson served as lead trial counsel. The case was led by Roberto Martínez alongside Stephanie A. Casey, Zachary A. Lipshultz, Aziza F. Elayan, Thomas Kroeger, and Sabrina S. Saieh, reflecting the firm’s long-standing leadership in Cuba-related international property litigation.

Bob’s work in this area spans decades, beginning with Cuban American Bar Association v. Warren Christopher, a class action on behalf of more than 40,000 Cuban refugees detained at Guantanamo Naval Base, which earned the Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Service Award from the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

That work extended into the Brothers to the Rescue litigation, where Bob represented the families of the four victims killed when Cuban fighter jets shot down two unarmed civilian aircraft—cases that helped shape the broader legal and political context for the Helms-Burton Act, including a landmark civil judgment against the Cuban government and recovery through frozen Cuban assets.

Bob and the firm also represented the family of Thomas Willard “Pete” Ray, a member of the Alabama Air National Guard, who was killed by Cuban militiamen on April 19, 1961, after surviving the crash of his B-26 bomber on a beach near Cuba’s Bay of Pigs, and the family of Robert Otis Fuller, an ex-U.S. Marine, who was killed by firing squad in October 1960 after he was tortured by having his blood drained from his body.

The firm’s legal work in these three civil cases resulted in judgments against the Cuban government in each case and the recovery of substantial assets for the families.

Today, that history is again in the national spotlight amid renewed attention to the 1996 shootdown and recent federal developments, including a Department of Justice indictment, involving the same acts of murder.

Against that backdrop, the Supreme Court’s ruling reinforces the continuing force of long-standing Cuba-related claims involving confiscated property and accountability.

Colson Hicks Eidson continues to lead in complex international property disputes, securing landmark results that underscore a consistent principle: true justice has no expiration date.

Media coverage includes:

The New York Times – Supreme Court Permits Lawsuit Over U.S. Assets Seized by Cuba in 1960

Miami Herald – U.S. indicts Raúl Castro for Cuba’s 1996 shoot-down of two civilian planes from Miami

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About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

We are proud to announce that nine of our partners have once again been named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers guide. Congratulations to Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson, Dean C. Colson, Curtis Miner, Julie Braman Kane, Joseph J. Kalbac Jr., Susan Carlson, Roberto Martínez, Stephanie Casey, and Thomas Kroeger.

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About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

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Dean Colson, managing partner of the firm, commented: “Zach is a valued member of the firm and a respected figure in the South Florida legal community. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and products liability matters, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes disputes across a wide range of industries. He is known for his strategic judgment, rigorous advocacy, and ability to manage cases involving significant financial exposure and novel legal issues.”

During his six years at Colson Hicks Eidson, Zach has worked with Bob Martinez, Curtis Miner, and other firm partners to secure four nine-figure judgments against Fortune 500 companies, obtain dismissals with prejudice on behalf of multiple Fortune 500 defendants, and successfully represent clients before arbitral, state, and federal forums, at trial and on appeal.

According to Senior Partner Bob Martinez: “Zach has been the indispensable force behind our victories in several high-stakes matters over the past seven years, combining unique legal talent with exceptional dedication and service to our clients.”

“Having spent multiple weeks shoulder-to-shoulder with Zach in trial, I am eager to have him as a teammate on any type of trial we need to suit up for,” added partner Curtis Miner.

Zach joined the firm following a federal judicial clerkship with the Honorable Robert N. Scola, Jr., former United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. Zach is a 2016 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law. He completed his undergraduate studies at Oberlin College in 2011 and earned a master’s degree in marine affairs and policy from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in 2012.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of nearly 60 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.