Florida Senate - 2027 (NP) SB 32
By Senator DiCeglie
18-00064-27 202732__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act for the relief of Samantha Sakowski, Li. S.,
3 B.J., and the Estate of Le. S. by the City of Temple
4 Terrace; providing for an appropriation to compensate
5 Samantha Sakowski, Li. S., and B.J. for injuries
6 sustained, and to compensate the estate for Le. S.’s
7 death as a result of the negligence of the City of
8 Temple Terrace; providing a limitation on the payment
9 of compensation and attorney fees; providing an
10 effective date.
11
12 WHEREAS, Samantha Sakowski is the natural parent of Li. S.,
13 born on July 6, 2019, and was the natural parent of Le. S., born
14 on March 13, 2018, and
15 WHEREAS, Samantha Sakowski and John Jackson are the natural
16 parents of B.J., born on July 6, 2024, and
17 WHEREAS, on April 15, 2026, at 3:41 p.m., Samantha Sakowski
18 owned and operated a Nissan Pathfinder, which was stopped,
19 facing eastbound, in the center median left-turning lane of East
20 Fowler Avenue, waiting for westbound traffic to clear before
21 initiating a left-hand turn to proceed northbound onto North
22 Drive at the intersection with East Fowler Avenue, in Temple
23 Terrace, and
24 WHEREAS, 6-year old Le. S., 8-year old Li. S., and 21-month
25 old B.J. were all restrained passengers in Samantha Sakowski’s
26 vehicle, and
27 WHEREAS, Ms. Sakowski initiated a left-hand turn onto North
28 Drive from the center median left-tuning lane of East Fowler
29 Avenue and prepared to cross three lanes of westbound travel,
30 seeing only a green van in the westbound lane a reasonably safe
31 distance from her vehicle, and
32 WHEREAS, on April 15, 2026, Officer Zachary Krug, a Temple
33 Terrace police officer acting within the scope of his
34 employment, was driving his assigned unmarked black 2023 Ford
35 Explorer westbound on East Fowler Avenue behind the green van
36 seen by Ms. Sakowski near the time she prepared to initiate her
37 left-hand turn, and
38 WHEREAS, Officer Krug was traveling at a rate above the
39 posted speed limit of 50 miles per hour without the lights or
40 siren activated on his assigned, unmarked Ford Explorer, and
41 continued to accelerate at a high rate of speed, passing other
42 westbound vehicles in front of him and covering a large distance
43 in a short amount of time, and
44 WHEREAS, the unmarked Ford Explorer operated by Officer
45 Krug collided into the rear passenger side of Ms. Sakowski’s
46 Nissan Pathfinder, causing it to flip several times before
47 coming to a rest on the grassy shoulder on the northside of
48 westbound East Fowler Avenue, and
49 WHEREAS, pursuant to dash camera footage and the event date
50 recorder for the unmarked Ford Explorer driven by Officer Krug,
51 Corporal Chad Anderson, the traffic homicide investigator of the
52 Florida Highway Patrol, and other investigating agencies
53 confirmed that the Ford Explorer reached the speed of 104 miles
54 per hour, 54 miles per hour in excess of the 50 miles per hour
55 posted speed limit while it travelled westbound on East Fowler
56 Avenue and decreased to approximately 74 miles per hour, 24
57 miles per hour in excess of the posted speed limit, before
58 colliding with Ms. Sakowski’s vehicle, and
59 WHEREAS, several witnesses helped Ms. Sakowski pull Le. S.,
60 Li. S., and B.J. from the vehicle before paramedics arrived at
61 the scene, and
62 WHEREAS, when the paramedics arrived at the scene, Le. S.,
63 Li. S., and B.J. were bleeding and unresponsive, and
64 WHEREAS, John Anaya, a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper,
65 arrived at the scene to investigate the crash, and
66 WHEREAS, Trooper Anaya determined that Officer Krug had
67 operated his vehicle in excess of the posted speed limit and
68 that Ms. Sakowski did not contribute in any way to the
69 collision, and
70 WHEREAS, the paramedics drove Ms. Sakowski and her three
71 children to Tampa General Hospital from the scene of the crash,
72 and
73 WHEREAS, Le. S. was pronounced dead at Tampa General
74 Hospital at 6 p.m. on April 15, 2026, and
75 WHEREAS, Tampa General Hospital kept Li. S. for 50 days and
76 diagnosed Li. S. with multiple injuries, including traumatic
77 brain injury with sequelae, diffuse brain injury with loss of
78 consciousness greater than 24 hours, impairment of cognitive
79 function, multiple fractures, infections, respiratory failure,
80 and suspected stroke, and
81 WHEREAS, Tampa General Hospital discharged Li. S. on June
82 4, 2026, and
83 WHEREAS, the medical bills for Li. S. will likely exceed $1
84 million, which will not include Li. S.’s ongoing medical care
85 and treatment with specialists in the fields of neuropsychology,
86 neurosurgery, neurology, pediatric ophthalmology, pediatric
87 occupational therapy, pediatric physical therapy, pediatric
88 speech therapy, pediatric otolaryngology, and orthopedics, and
89 WHEREAS, Tampa General Hospital discharged B.J. on April
90 20, 2026, and
91 WHEREAS, B.J. suffered multiple permanent injuries,
92 including intracranial hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury with
93 sequelae, hematomas, and contusions and incurred at least
94 $74,870.61 in collision-related medical bills, not including
95 ongoing medical care and treatment, and
96 WHEREAS, Tampa General Hospital admitted Ms. Sakowski for 1
97 day, during which Ms. Sakowski underwent CT scans of her head,
98 neck, chest, and pelvis, and has since been diagnosed with
99 injuries, including rib fractures, lacerations, cervicalgia, and
100 cervical, thoracic, and lumbar radiculopathy, and
101 WHEREAS, Ms. Sakowski forwent additional medical care and
102 treatment during the time her minor children Li. S. and B.J.
103 were hospitalized, and
104 WHEREAS, Ms. Sakowski incurred at least $11,911 in
105 collision-related medical bills, not including her hospital bill
106 with Tampa General Hospital, which is still pending, and
107 WHEREAS, since the date of Li. S.’s discharge on June 4,
108 2026, Ms. Sakowski has transported the minor child to the
109 child’s follow-up appointments, and
110 WHEREAS, the claimants seek $10 million for the wrongful
111 death of Le. S., $10 million for the significant permanent
112 injuries suffered by Li. S., $1 million for the significant
113 permanent injuries suffered by B.J., and $1.3 million for the
114 injuries suffered by Ms. Sakowski for a total of $22.3 million,
115 less any amount recoverable from the City of Temple Terrace,
116 NOW, THEREFORE,
117
118 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
119
120 Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act are
121 found and declared to be true.
122 Section 2. The City of Temple Terrace is authorized and
123 directed to appropriate from funds not otherwise encumbered and
124 draw a warrant in the sum of $22.3 million payable to Samantha
125 Sakowski, Li. S., B.J., and Samantha Sakowski as the personal
126 representative of the Estate of Le. S., as compensation damages
127 resulting from injuries sustained and the death of Le. S.
128 Section 3. The amount paid by the City of Temple Terrace
129 pursuant to s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the amount awarded
130 under this act are intended to provide the sole compensation for
131 all present and future claims arising out of the factual
132 situation described in this act which resulted in injuries to
133 Samantha Sakowski and minors Li. S. and B.J. and damages to the
134 Estate of Le. S. The total amount paid for attorney fees
135 relating to this claim may not exceed 25 percent of the total
136 amount awarded under this act.
137 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.