News

By Rich Pollack

    Two lawsuits have been filed against the driver of a car that struck a couple bicycling in Highland Beach, fatally injuring a 69-year-old commercial real-estate pioneer and seriously injuring her husband, a retired New York dentist.
    A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the son and daughter of Patricia Goldstein, a former top real estate executive for Citicorp and a former vice chair of Emigrant Bank, against the driver of a car that veered off State Road A1A on April 23 and struck Goldstein, 69, and Howard Epstein, 74.
    Epstein, who is recovering from injuries suffered in the crash, has filed a separate personal injury lawsuit.
    Both lawsuits name the driver of the car involved in the crash, Charles Clever, 57, and the owner of the 2014 Mazda Clever was driving, Elizabeth Bayram, as defendants. Epstein’s suit also names co-owner Semih Bayram as a defendant.
    In the wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of Goldstein’s daughter, Alicia, and son, Jeffrey, Miami-based attorney Ira Leesfield contends that Clever was “negligent, careless, reckless” when he drove his car off the road and struck Goldstein who, along with Epstein, was riding south on A1A shortly after noon.
    Goldstein, according to police and the lawsuit, was thrown onto the hood of the vehicle and her head struck the windshield. She died from her injuries six days later.
    Police officers at the scene noted that both Goldstein and Epstein were wearing bicycle helmets.
    Although no charges have been filed against Clever pending the outcome of blood tests, sheriff’s deputies are continuing to investigate the accident and suspect Clever may have been driving impaired by either drugs or alcohol.
    In both lawsuits, attorneys allege that the owners of the car were negligent in allowing Clever to operate the vehicle. In the wrongful death lawsuit, Leesfield alleges that Elizabeth Bayram had been notified that Clever “abused prescription drugs” shortly before she allowed him to drive the car.
    Goldstein, according to Leesfield, was a pioneer in promoting women’s workplace issues in the commercial real-estate industry.
“She was a uniquely accomplished woman,” he said. “Her loss is a loss not just to her family but to the business community and to other women.”
    In the separate personal injury lawsuit filed on behalf of Epstein, Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Schlesinger contends that Clever’s negligence caused permanent and substantial bodily injury to Epstein as well as causing his client to incur medical care and rehabilitative care expenses.
    Schlesinger declined to discuss the extent of Epstein’s injuries.
    Both lawsuits seek damages in excess of $15,000.