WELLINGTON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A Palm Beach County resident has filed a civil lawsuit against the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office over a traffic crash the plaintiff says happened in Wellington, according to a verified complaint filed Feb. 17, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida.
The case is Rafael Gutierrez v. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Case No. 502026CA001836XXXAMB.
The complaint, filed by attorney Edmund Gonzalez of Gonzalez & Henley, P.A., alleges Gutierrez suffered injuries and other losses after a sheriff’s office vehicle struck his vehicle from behind. The filing seeks damages exceeding $50,000 and requests a jury trial. No defense law firm is listed in the complaint.
According to the complaint, the crash occurred “on or about” Oct. 23, 2024, in Wellington, and venue is described as proper in Palm Beach County because the collision happened there. The complaint states Gutierrez was driving northbound on 441 and stopped at a traffic light at Stribling Way when the sheriff’s office vehicle failed to slow and “crashed into the rear end” of his vehicle.
The complaint identifies the alleged driver of the sheriff’s office vehicle as Officer T. Cullen Walton and describes the vehicle as a 2019 white Ford Explorer with license plate ZML04. The complaint describes Gutierrez’s vehicle as a 2023 white Highlander Defender with license plate HVUE08, and states he was wearing his seatbelt.
In addition to the main filing, exhibits attached to the complaint include notices of claim and related paperwork that describe the collision date as Oct. 24, 2024, at the intersection of South Road 7 (U.S. 441) and Stribling Way in Wellington. Those documents also describe the event as a rear-end crash while Gutierrez was stopped at the intersection and the sheriff’s office vehicle was approaching from behind.
The lawsuit asserts a negligence claim against the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and alleges the deputy was acting as an agent and employee of the agency at the time. The complaint claims the sheriff’s office is liable under theories including vicarious liability and the “dangerous instrumentality” doctrine, and alleges the agency owed a duty to operate the vehicle safely to avoid a collision.
The complaint lists alleged negligent acts including failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to stop in time, failing to brake in sufficient time, driving at an excessive and dangerous speed under the circumstances, failing to maintain a safe following distance, and failing to follow traffic rules. The complaint alleges Gutierrez sustained permanent bodily injuries and claims damages for past and future medical care and related costs, lost earnings and diminished earning capacity, and other claimed harms.
The complaint also states Gutierrez complied with statutory notice requirements under Florida law for claims against government entities, referencing Section 768.28 and attaching notices as exhibits. The allegations in the complaint are claims made by the plaintiff and have not been proven in court.
The original complaint, Rafael Gutierrez v. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Case No. 502026CA001836XXXAMB, as filed 02/17/2026, with the Clerk of Court, can be viewed at the PBC Clerk of Court.
Learn more about how auto negligence lawsuits typically unfold in Florida.
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