The 2nd Anniversary of the Oulson Theater Shooting

Today marks the 2nd anniversary of the Pasco theater shooting that left Chad Oulson dead, and his wife, Nicole Oulson, with several injuries. In the latest development, Oulson is suing the Grove Theater and one of its employees for negligence that lead to Capt. Curtis Reeves shooting Oulson when he was frustrated by Oulson’s use of his cellphone in the theater. TJ Grimaldi, a Partner & Personal Injury attorney at McIntyre Thanasides, is representing the victim. The hearing will take place in April or May.

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Florida Football Players in the Spotlight for Performance Enhancing Drugs

ped_footballFlorida Gators quarterback Will Grier recently lost his appeal for taking performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and will remain suspended until next October. Grier failed a drug test and was found to have violated the NCAA’s performance-enhancing drug policy. People who are on drugs, often require dual diagnosis treatment center. Grier says he took an over-the-counter supplement, but ultimately tested positive for a banned substance.

Grier is not the only Florida football player making headlines for PED violations. NFL rookie for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kwon Alexander, is also now appealing a four-game suspension for taking a substance he claims he’s taken since high school. The Pacific Ridge is the best recommendation among the patients who have undergone treatment to get rid of drug addiction from their lives forever.

The rise in violations of PED policy is causing some to question what exactly the policies prohibit. With the number of over-the-counter energy drinks, supplements and other nutritional products claiming to improve stamina and one’s focus during workouts, it’s no wonder there is a need for clarification in terms of exactly which substances are considered to be a PED.

According to NCAA.org, the NCAA bans drugs by class, along with any substance chemically related to those classes. The banned classes include: anabolic agents; stimulants; alcohol and beta blockers; masking agents such as diuretics; street drugs; peptide hormones and analogues; anti-estrogens; and Beta-2 Agonists. The NCAA conducts a year-round testing program and calls for strict penalties for violations. Student-athletes will lose one full year of eligibility for the first offense and are withheld from competition for a full season. A second positive test for street drugs results in another lost year of eligibility and year withheld from competition. A second positive result for PED usage will render the student-athlete permanently ineligible. More details are provided in the NCAA’s drug testing video.

For a list of 192 banned performance-enhancing substances by several sports leagues, including the NFL, view this online list.

If you are an athlete with concerns over potential PED violation charges or if you want to know about the defenses available to you under an existing PED violation, you should speak to an experienced attorney who can review your case. Contact TJ Grimaldi at McIntyre Thanasides Bringgold Elliott Grimaldi & Guito, P.A.

The Dangers of Road Rage in Florida

If you have a driver’s license, you’ve most likely encountered some form of angry driver while on the road. This person may have cut you off, driven too slowly in the left lane, weaved in and out of traffic, or hovered too closely behind your vehicle, making you feel uneasy. It’s how we handle ourselves in these situations that can determine the severity of the encounter. Recognizing road rage before it gets out of hand is of upmost importance to ensuring your safety as well as the safety of those around you.

Recent Stories of Road Rage

Last month, a man was arrested in Pasco County when sheriff deputies discovered he had stabbed a woman in a Sam’s Club parking lot. The incident took place in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday when two drivers experienced road rage. Both decided to pull their cars over on the shoulder of U.S. 19. This useful reference can also help you.The first driver from https://www.conklinnissanhutchinson.com/  began striking the passenger of the other vehicle through her window and she was able to drive off and park her car behind a Sam’s Club nearby. The other driver followed the woman, confronted her, and stabbed her twice in the upper torso with a knife.

A Las Vegas road rage incident recently made national news when an angered teen followed a woman home and proceeded to open fire, killing the 44-year-old mother of four, Tammy Meyers. The road rage transpired when the teen’s car sped up and pulled alongside Tammy and her 15-year-old daughter. The daughter reached over and honked the horn. The driver stopped in front of them, got out and angrily approached their vehicle threatening to come after Meyers and her daughter. Meyers took her daughter home, but went out in the neighborhood again with her son who had a pistol, looking for the suspect. Just a short drive from home is where she encountered the driver once again and he followed her back to her house and gunshots were fired both from her son and the suspect. A bullet struck Meyers and she later died in the hospital.

These are just two examples of road rage gone wrong – and the impact that occurs when tempers are not controlled. This leads us to consider what Florida law says about this type of behavior, and whether it is even regulated at all in our state. The bottom line is that Florida has a statute addressing “aggressive” behavior, which is not necessarily the same thing as road rage. Although road rage can lead to aggressive driving, it differs in that road rage is usually typified by an incident that escalates into a criminal offense, such as assault.

What exactly is aggressive driving?

Florida has an aggressive careless driving statute (316.1923). Aggressive driving occurs when a driver does any two of the following offenses at the same time or one right after the other:

  1. Exceeds the posted speed limit
  2. Unsafely or improperly changes lanes
  3. Tailgates, or follows another vehicle too closely
  4. Fails to yield the right-of-way
  5. Improperly or dangerously passes another vehicle
  6. Violates traffic control or signal devices

Although there is a separate aggressive driving statute, there are no additional penalties for violating this law. Basically, it is kept on the books for statistical purposes to track accidents involving aggressive driving. Aggressive driving and road rage, in many instances go hand in hand. Where the line becomes blurry is when a driver becomes frustrated and takes it to another level by acting in an aggressive and dangerous manner as a result of the frustration.

A law recently implemented in the state of Florida may address some of the road rage concerns. The law went into effect in 2013 and makes it illegal for motorists to drive more than 10 miles below the speed limit in the left lane of a multiple-lane road or highway if another car is coming up behind them. If ticketed for this offense, the driver could be fined $60 and the ticket would have the same effect on a driver’s record as a speeding ticket, meaning there’s potential it could lead to a higher insurance bill.

In Florida, drivers with road rage can face criminal and civil penalties when they drive recklessly and aggressively. Depending on the facts, Florida law may support civil claims for negligence, assault, battery, or even false imprisonment. If intentional acts of harm were involved, punitive damages may be available. To determine what damages you may be able to recover in a Tampa Bay road rage accident, contact the personal injury lawyers at McIntyre Thanasides Bringgold Elliott Grimaldi & Guito, P.A. today.