Golf is usually known to be a relaxing, calm sport where players can have a good time with their buddies. This was not the case on January 13, 2011, when 35 year old Lataurus Randall and his second cousin were attempting to finish their round of golf on the 17th hole in a Deerfield Beach golf course. As the cousins were finishing up their round of golf at around 6:30 p.m., two masked men dressed in black appeared out of the bushes. The two masked men attempted to rob the cousins and ended up shooting Lataurus Randall. Deerfield Beach Fire Rescue was called to the scene of the tragic accident and rushed Lataurus to North Broward Medical Center. The following day Mr. Randall was pronounced dead.
Lataurus Randall was a devoted golfer who enjoyed playing two to three times a week. He owned a landscaping business according to his sister, Latoya Randall. Speaking on behalf of her brother’s death, Latoya said, “I’ve never known my brother to have any enemies, he was a good person, whoever did this, I hope they are brought to justice. Mr. Randall left behind a 9 year old son. “What he liked to do most was play golf and spend time with his son,” said Latoya regarding her brother. Employees at the golf course said that Lataurus was a regular member. “They were new to golf, so they were a little slow, sometimes they finished the whole course, sometimes they did not.”
“You never think something like this would happen here, this is where you go to relax, not get robbed” said Marc Cohen, a Deerfield resident.
Johnny LaPonzina, a golf course expert said, “at the time the incident happened most carts and golfers are no longer out on courses because it is dark. “Being out there that late gave people the opportunity to do this. But this could happen anywhere. There is no more safe haven.” Unfortunately, wrongful death and premises liability cases such as this one are not uncommon in the tri-county area of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County. In March 23, 2006, an employee at the Forest Oaks Golf Club in Palm Beach County was shot dead while closing up the shop. In 1998, Benjamin Stein, 65, was robbed and killed on the 16th hole of a Miami Beach golf course. In 2009, a 19 year old man was arrested after shooting at a golfer who was playing at Killian Greens Golf Club in the Kendall area. Luckily nobody was hurt in the 2009 accident and police were able to arrest the shooter.
Deerfield Beach Man Shot While Playing Golf Dies, www.miamiherald.com, January 15, 2011.
Michael J. Carmona, is an associate attorney with the Friedland | Carmona and enjoys playing golf on the weekends.
“I was very surprised upon reading this news story in the Miami Herald. It is alarming and freighting to think that golfers in our South Florida community have been robbed and killed while playing golf. Golf is supposed to be a relaxing sport and a safe sport.” – Personal injury lawyer Michael J. Carmona.
Miami personal injury lawyers Jonathan R. Friedland and Michael J. Carmona handle all types of personal injury cases including premises liability and negligent security cases such as this one throughout Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Davie, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida. Managing partner of the Friedland | Carmona, Jonathan R. Friedland, specializes in premises liability and negligent security cases. In a case like this you would first want to complete a thorough investigation in order to determine whether there was sufficient security in place on the golf course and perform a crime history for the area surrounding the golf course.
The Palm Beach personal injury lawyers at the Friedland | Carmona have over 20 years of combined experience in handling Palm Beach premises liability, negligent security, slip and falls, car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice and negligence nursing home accidents. Let our family at the Friedland | Carmona help your family recover from such tragic accidents. The Palm Beach personal injury lawyers at the Friedland | Carmona have served in and around Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough and Orange County. Please call our office at (305) 661-2008 today for a free consultation.