PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A Palm Beach County woman is suing Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and Kevin W. Bryant, alleging Bryant negligently caused a rear-end crash while operating a sheriff’s office vehicle on Southern Boulevard.
The case, Escobar v. Bradshaw et al., was filed Feb. 25, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida, under Case No. 502026CA002236XXXAMB (Div: AI).
The plaintiff, Sandra R. Escobar, brings the lawsuit through attorney Gabriel Isasi V of Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, according to the filing. The complaint seeks damages exceeding $50,000 and includes a demand for a jury trial. No defense law firm is listed in the complaint.
Escobar alleges the collision happened June 18, 2025, on eastbound Southern Boulevard in Palm Beach County. She says she was a passenger in a 2017 Toyota Tacoma that had stopped for traffic when Bryant’s vehicle struck it from behind.
According to the complaint, Bryant was driving a 2014 Ford Interceptor described as white and bearing a Florida plate identified as SHERF40121, traveling eastbound in the right lane. The complaint alleges Bryant “failed to use due care” while “looking for his ID” and did not see traffic had come to a stop before the collision.
Escobar claims Bryant negligently operated and maintained the vehicle and that, as a result, she sustained “significant permanent” bodily injuries. The filing also alleges she was wearing her seatbelt at the time of impact.
In Count I, Escobar asserts a negligence claim against Bryant. The complaint alleges the crash was caused by Bryant’s “reckless, carelessness and negligence,” listing alleged acts and omissions that include operating at a high, dangerous, and excessive speed; failing to reduce speed; failing to maintain control; failing to keep a proper lookout; and failing to exercise reasonable care, among other allegations.
The complaint further claims Escobar suffered injuries including aggravation of a pre-existing condition, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and impairment of working ability, and that she incurred medical expenses and lost wages. It also alleges she will incur future medical expenses and that the injuries are permanent within a reasonable degree of medical probability.
In Count II, Escobar asserts a vicarious liability claim against Bradshaw in his official capacity as sheriff, alleging the sheriff’s office owned the vehicle Bryant was driving and that Bryant was a permissive user operating it with consent. The complaint alleges the sheriff’s office is vicariously liable for damages caused by Bryant’s alleged negligent conduct while operating that vehicle.
Escobar seeks damages, plus prejudgment interest, costs, and attorney’s fees “if appropriate,” and requests a jury trial on issues triable by right. The allegations in the complaint are claims by the plaintiff and have not been proven in court.
The original complaint, Escobar v. Bradshaw et al., Case No. 502026CA002236XXXAMB, as filed February 25, 2026, with the Palm Beach County Clerk of Court, can be viewed here.
Learn more about how auto negligence lawsuits typically unfold in Florida.
