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<p> One of two cyclists injured in a hit-and-run crash on the Rickenbacker Causeway on Wednesday morning has died, Miami police said. </p><p> Police said Thursday that Aaron Cohen has died.</p><p> According to investigators, the hit-and-run suspect, Michele Traverso, 25, turned himself in to police early Thursday morning.</p><p> He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and driving with a suspended license.</p><p> Enda Welsh and Cohen were struck by a vehicle as they rode their bicycles on the Causeway at about 6 a.m. Wednesday. Police said the driver drove away, leaving Welsh and Cohen injured in the road.</p><p> Welsh fractured his ankle in the accident, but Cohen had more serious injuries. He suffered severe head trauma, and he died at Jackson Memorial Hospital.</p><p> Cohen's wife said he was an avid cyclist. He has two children, 3-year-old Lilly and 1-year-old Aiden.</p><p> Cohen's father, Stephan Cohen, spoke to Local 10 News about his son. </p><p> "We were a family all the time. His cousins, aunts and uncles -- everybody loved him so much. He was the kind of son that every father dreams about," Stephan Cohen said. </p><p> Traverso appeared in Miami-Dade bond court Thursday afternoon. His bond was set at $10,000.</p><p> Additional charges against Traverso are pending.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:27:32 GMT
<p> The Broward Sheriff's Office is searching for a man they believe stole two motorcycles from a Deerfield Beach dealership Saturday. </p><p> According to a police report, the owner of Riva Yamaha Motorsports at 4371 N. Dixie Highway realized Monday that a 2007 Yamaha U-Star 649cc was missing when someone at his other store let him know someone wanted to buy it. </p><p> The owner reviewed surveillance video from Saturday and realized that a man was seen stealing keys from inside the office of his store, investigators said. BSO said the man took a motorcycle that was parked in front of the business. </p><p> BSO said the store owner later realized that the man had stolen a second motorcycle, as well.</p><p> Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:10:56 GMT
<p> A man accused of bringing a gun into the Broward County Courthouse collapsed in court Thursday morning just after the jury convicted him.</p><p> Marin Stroia appeared in court Thursday morning, more than a year after police said he entered the Broward County Courthouse through the exit doors, pulled a gun and threatened to kill himself. </p><p> There was more drama in the courthouse Thursday moments after the clerk polled the jury and Stroia was found guilty of armed trespassing and reckless display of a firearm. Stroia pulled an aspirin bottle from his pocket and drank the clear liquid inside, which he told a deputy was poison, and then collapsed on the courtroom floor. </p><p> Bailiffs cleared the courtroom and the hallway as Stroia was carted out on a gurney on his way to Broward Medical Center. He was in good condition Thursday afternoon. </p><p> Investigators said Stroia's anger over his divorce proceedings prompted the January 2011 incident in which he was charged. Judge Joel Lazarus heard the commotion that day and put his life on the line, convincing Stroia not to pull the trigger. </p><p> "He said, 'I only have one bullet in the gun.' I said, 'I don't want that bullet in me,'" Lazarus said. </p><p> Stroia faces a year in prison on one charge, and five years on the other, but he has not yet been sentenced.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:14:23 GMT
<p> The landing gear on a small plane collapsed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Thursday.</p><p> The two pilots on board called the tower just moments after takeoff from FLL. They were headed to Opa-locka Airport, when they told the tower they had to turn around.</p><p> The pilots landed the twin-engine Cessna 402 safely on Runway 9-Right, but the rear landing gear collapsed while they taxied to the terminal.</p><p> Neither pilot on the plane was hurt.</p><p> There is no word yet what led to the collapse.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:25:29 GMT
<p> A former Miami-Dade police officer was sentenced to prison Thursday as part of a plea deal in a rip-off conspiracy.</p><p> John Villar pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of strong-arm robbery and burglary of a vehicle in connection with the April 2010 incident on the Palmetto Expressway. </p><p> The eight-year veteran of the Miami-Dade Police Department used his badge and police vehicle to stage a traffic stop on a man who was carrying $131,000 in cash from gambling winnings, then steal that bag of money, investigators said.</p><p> Investigators believe a bookie and Villar's cousin were in on the conspiracy.</p><p> Villar was sentenced to eight years in prison and an additional three years on probation. He will not be allowed any future career in law enforcement.</p><p> "Nobody likes to go to prison, but this ended up being something that now he can put this matter behind him, get on with this life," said Roy Kahn, Villar's attorney.</p><p> Villar is expected to testify against his cousin, Fausto Villar.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:12:31 GMT
<p> A Wisconsin man has put his kidney up for sale on Craigslist.</p><p> The man, identified only as Mark, told Local 10's Jeff Weinsier the highest bid he's gotten is $38,000.</p><p> "Right now, I'm at $38,000, the highest one. The other bid is $36,000," Mark told Weinsier by phone.</p><p> Mark, who said he is a 49-year-old male, said he's willing to travel to South Florida to have the surgery done.</p><p> When Weinsier asked Mark if it was legal to pay for a body organ in the United States, Mark said, "It could be done in the States, but no one can know I'm getting paid. I could just be a donor."</p><p> In fact, Local 10 found plenty of people online willing to do the same, and it's illegal.</p><p> "It is becoming more of an issue," said Dr. Giselle Guerra, a transplant nephrologist at the University of Miami and the director of the Living Kidney Program in South Florida.</p><p> "In the United States, you cannot sell your organs, whether it be heart, lung, kidney or liver. That is the law," said Guerra.</p><p> This offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine.</p><p> Guerra said the donor/recipient relationship is investigated, in some cases for months, to make sure there is no money exchanged or material gain on the donor's part.</p><p> "You can't just show up and say, 'I'm John Doe. This is my friend. He's giving me his kidney. When can we start?' It doesn't work that way," said Guerra.</p><p> Kathy Ecklond, who has Stage 5 renal disease and spends five hours a day, three days a week on dialysis, placed an ad on Craigslist looking for a donor. She is on the transplant list, which is now 900 names long in South Florida.</p><p> Many of the responses have been from people looking for money.</p><p> One of them said, "Willing to donate my kidney for a sum." Another said, "Shouldn't be a problem if my needs are met."</p><p> Knowing it's against the law, Ecklond declined.</p><p> "They said, 'Well, I guess you don’t need a kidney bad enough.' I was very upset. I think it's despicable that they would prey on someone who is ill," she said.</p><p> Transplant centers like UM have measures in place to make it difficult to pull one over on the system.</p><p> Recipients and donors go through a series of interviews, evaluations and counseling that in many cases takes months.</p><p> "We have stopped donors. It won’t be the first time or last time it will happen," said Guerra.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:59:17 GMT
<p> A pedestrian was hit by a box truck and trapped underneath it in Miami on Thursday.</p><p> Police said the box truck hit the pedestrian at Northwest 36th Street and 17th Avenue. </p><p> The man was trapped under the truck, but firefighters got him out. </p><p> The victim was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital. </p><p> The cause of the crash is under investigation.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:20:36 GMT
<p> Four people have been arrested in what Hialeah police called a large-scale automobile insurance fraud investigation. </p><p> Hialeah police said Edwin Rodriguez, Rafael Rico, Eduardo Valdes-Murguido and Janet Alonso-Rico were arrested on multiple counts of grand theft and insurance fraud. </p><p> Investigators said they have identified 50 victims so far. </p><p> "Their crimes would begin at an accident scene and end up at one of their own auto body repair shops," Hialeah police spokesman Carl Zogby said in a news release Thursday. "They would collect thousands of dollars from the insurance companies while never repairing the damaged vehicles." </p><p> Hialeah police said the suspects took hundreds of thousands of dollars from insurance companies and drivers.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:56:21 GMT
<p> Hundreds of boats and multimillion-dollar yachts dropped anchor at the Miami Beach Convention Center Thursday for the Miami International Boat Show. </p><p> "There is such a huge audience here with people coming from 80 countries and all 50 states," said Cathy Rick-Joule, of the Miami International Boat Show. </p><p> PHOTOS: Miami International Boat Show</p><p> Visitors can check out the latest gizmos and gadgets, come face to face with a real shark and meet the stars from "Sharkmen" on National Geographic. </p><p> "Florida's been great," said expedition leader Chris Fischer. "You've seen shark population rise here. They are teeming in the waters and a healthy ocean is full, full of sharks." </p><p> Visitors can also see an engine from the inside and learn how it works. </p><p> The event showcases an affordability tent, where visitors can pick up a boat for a great deal. </p><p> "I think people sometimes can't imagine that it is really affordable, that it can be financed for less than $250 a month," said Rick-Joule. </p><p> The show, a one-stop shop for boaters, kicks off Thursday and ends Monday. It is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Monday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It's being held at the Miami Beach Convention Center at 1901 Convention Center Dr.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:21:59 GMT
Which South Florida city is #1 in the Top 10 list of most restaurant violations? Find out inside. Plus check out how your favorite restaurant did in its last inspection.
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:50:03 GMT
These people have absolutely no problem turning their bodies into pin-cushions... but you may have a problem looking at them. Don't say you weren't warned.
Published: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:39:37 GMT
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