Month: May 2026

By Adam Thompson

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — The families of the victims of Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse have settled with the owners and operators of the M/V Dali container ship. The terms of the settlement are not being disclosed.

Attorneys representing four of the men who died, and a survivor, in the March 26, 2024, collapse, said the settlement resolves “all the claims against the owners and operators of the M/V Dali.”

Six construction workers died after they were knocked into the Patapsco River. A seventh construction worker survived.

Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys represented the families of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, José Maynor López, Miguel Luna, and Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, who died during the bridge collapse.

Julio Cervantes, the only person to survive the collapse, was also included in the settlement.

“While we are pleased to reach this settlement on behalf of the families of those who lost their lives on March 26 and the only person to survive the fall into the Patapsco River, it is bittersweet because these families won’t have an opportunity to experience the seasons of life with their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons,” attorney L. Chris Stewart stated. “We worked tirelessly for these families on this incredibly complex case and are thankful that this matter has been resolved. Although the fight has been resolved for the petitioners, the battle is not over, as other parties share responsibility for this tragedy, and we look forward to the forthcoming fight for justice.”

Five of the seven families involved in the collapse have or are working through settlements.

Maryland and Dali’s owner and operator settled for more than $2 billion this month.

A civil trial is scheduled for June 1.

Immigration advocacy group remembers the victims We Are CASA, an immigration advocacy group, stated that no monetary settlement will replace the families’ loved ones, who were killed while repairing potholes on the bridge.

“While it is very important that some legal claims have been resolved, the pain these families have endured remains,” said Ama Frimpong, the Chief of Services at We Are CASA and attorney representing some of the impacted families. “Their focus will continue to be on rebuilding their lives, healing from trauma, supporting one another, and honoring the memory of their loved ones after a tragedy that forever changed their lives.”

Frimpong added, “We Are CASA will continue standing alongside these families as they seek healing, dignity, and lasting security, and as they navigate the difficult road ahead.”

Request denied to postpone civil trial Earlier this month, a judge denied a request by the owner of the Dali, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and its operator, Synergy Marine Private Limited, to postpone the civil trial.

The ship’s owner and operator asked that a judge delay the civil trial until the criminal trial is resolved, or delay the case for at least 90 days to allow the companies to evaluate “whether they can obtain immunity or some other protection for any of Synergy’s employee fact witnesses, such that they would agree to travel to the U.S. to attend trial.”

The civil trial will determine if the companies can limit their liability to $44 million.

The criminal indictment alleges that the operator, Synergy Marine Private Limited, and Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair violated the Ports and Waterways Safety Act by concealing dangerous conditions on the ship, falsifying inspection reports, and evading maritime safety requirements.

The indictment also revealed that the company used the wrong fuel pump, which prevented the ship from regaining power after an outage just before it hit the Key Bridge. The ship had experienced at least four power outages in the hours before the collision, investigators for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found.

Kiewit dropped after unexpected cost estimates In April, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) ended its contract with Kiewit, after the cost was higher than the state anticipated.

MDTA officials said Kiewit estimated the price of the rebuild to be about $9 billion. The state was looking for a price tag of around $4.3 billion to $5.2 billion.

Finding new Key Bridge contractors MDTA is seeking new contractors, who will be assigned to four sections to connect the Key Bridge reconstruction together.

Officials said the most costly contractor will be around $3.5 billion to $4 billion to construct the over-the-water section of the bridge. The minimum clearance from the bridge deck to the federal channel will be 230 feet.

The MDTA also projects $300 million to $400 million for the over-the-land portion of the bridges’ south side; $200 million to $300 million for the over-the-land section on the north side; and $50 million to $100 million to complete the demolition of the old structure that remains in the water.

There will be three other contracts: over-the-land portions on the bridge’s south side, which the state projects will cost $300 million to $400 million; over-the-land portions on the north side, projected to cost $200 million to $300 million; and demolishing remnants of the old structure for $50 million to $100 million.

Key Bridge rebuild Initially, state officials anticipated that the Key Bridge would be rebuilt by the fall of 2028. Now that the price tag has increased and the contractor Kiewit was released, the hope is to finish the bridge by the end of 2030.

The rebuilt bridge will be fully funded by the federal government. Funding was included in a 2024 federal spending bill.

The new Key Bridge will be more than two miles long with two 12-foot lanes in each direction. The bridge will have 230 feet of clearance above the federal channel and will have a lifespan of 100 years.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Ivan Taylor

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    MIAMI, Florida (WFOR) — The parents of a 19-year-old man who died this week following complications from a cosmetic procedure are speaking publicly for the first time, demanding justice for their son.

In an exclusive interview with CBS News Miami, the family of Endrys Elian Martinez said they moved from Venezuela to the United States to give him a safer future away from violence in their home country.

“I just want justice for my son. That’s what I want,” his father, Endrys Martinez, said in Spanish through tears.

According to the Coral Gables-based law firm Silva and Silva, Martinez died Tuesday after suffering complications connected to anesthesia before a rhinoplasty procedure at Svelta Plastic Surgery. The teenager was declared brain dead on Monday before his death on Tuesday.

Attorneys representing the family allege Martinez suffered a medical emergency after the anesthesia was administered.

“In addition to being anesthesia-related, it’s the failure because of the inability to be able to understand how to treat and address those complications,” attorney George Silva said.

Martinez’s parents told CBS News Miami they traveled from Tennessee to Miami specifically for the procedure after learning about the clinic through social media. His mother, Iblin Martinez, said an influencer had promoted the business when it was known as Seduction Cosmetic Surgery.

“An influencer talked about Seduction Clinic. That’s why we were surprised when we arrived, and it was called Svelta,” she said in Spanish.

Attorney Silva confirmed the clinic changed its name earlier this year from Seduction Cosmetic Surgery to Svelta Plastic Surgery, stating, “These plastic surgery centers have become a business, and it’s all about marketing,”.

The grieving family said they have received no explanation from the clinic about what happened.

When asked what information they were given, the parents replied, “Nothing. Nothing,”.

Martinez’s father said that when he returned to the clinic seeking answers and documentation, he was denied the paperwork. “I asked for all the paperwork about my son, and a woman told me no, that she could not give me that and they had to speak to the attorney,” he said in Spanish.

The family said they now cope with the loss by watching videos of their son laughing and playing.

CBS News Miami contacted Svelta Plastic Surgery again Thursday seeking comment, but no one answered the phone.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Larry Seward

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    MIAMI, Florida (WFOR) — A Miami-Dade Sheriff’s deputy will not face criminal charges for the shooting of an armed man last June, following an investigation that determined the shooting was “justified”.

An 11-page memo, released Thursday from the Miami Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle’s office, stated that “objective facts establish that a reasonable person in Sergeant Kelvin Cox’s position would have believed that using deadly force was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to Sergeant Cox and/or others”. The memo concluded that “Because Sergeant Cox was legally justified in using deadly force, no charges should be filed”.

The incident occurred in June 2025 in the West Little River community, beginning after a detective initiated a traffic stop on a yellow Corvette due to “very dark front windshield tints”. Cameras recorded the Corvette speeding away from the stop.

Investigators identified Laboy as the driver. Laboy’s loved ones told CBS News Miami last year that they believe Laboy was afraid for his life because the police units following the Corvette were not marked. They also noted that he had no criminal history and possessed a license to carry a concealed handgun.

However, investigators stated that Laboy “recklessly drove through neighborhoods at high speeds, ignored stop signs and nearly caused crashes”.

The video showed the Corvette weaving through a housing complex until it reached a dead end, where two deputy cruisers stopped behind it. The investigators’ memo details that Laboy exited the car with a pistol in his right hand and ran toward Sergeant Cox.

It is unknown if Laboy’s family will take any legal action as a result.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.