WELLINGTON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — A Palm Beach County woman is suing an off-duty deputy and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), claiming she was seriously injured when a sheriff’s vehicle struck her car in Wellington earlier this year.
The case is filed as Lisa Mowell v. Michael Barbusio, individually, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Case No. 50-2025-CA-012660-XXXX-MB, in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida. The complaint was e-filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk of Court on December 5, 2025.
According to the complaint, plaintiff Lisa Mowell, an adult resident of Palm Beach County, is seeking damages “in excess of $50,000,” noting that “$50,001” was entered on the civil cover sheet as a jurisdictional estimate required by the Florida Supreme Court. The filing states that the actual value of her claim will be determined by a jury.
The lawsuit names Deputy Michael Barbusio, sued individually, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, described in the complaint as a law enforcement agency headquartered at 3228 Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach. PBSO is identified as the registered owner of a gray 2019 Chevrolet Impala that was involved in the crash.
Mowell alleges that on January 22, 2025, at approximately 7:16 a.m., Barbusio was driving the PBSO-owned Chevrolet Impala westbound on Wellington Trace near its intersection with Greenview Shores Boulevard in Palm Beach County when he “negligently and carelessly” operated the vehicle so that it violently collided with the car she was driving. The complaint further alleges that Barbusio was not on duty at the time, and asserts that he is personally liable for the alleged negligence and resulting damages.
In Count I (Negligence), Mowell claims that Barbusio’s conduct directly and proximately caused her injuries. She alleges she suffered bodily injury, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, inconvenience, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, medical and rehabilitative expenses, and aggravation of a previously existing condition. The complaint states that these alleged losses and injuries are permanent and will continue into the future.
In Count II (Vicarious Liability – Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine), Mowell seeks to hold PBSO liable as the vehicle’s owner under Florida’s dangerous instrumentality doctrine. The filing asserts that PBSO, as the titled owner that gave Barbusio express or implied permission to operate the Chevrolet Impala, is strictly vicariously liable for any negligence attributed to him while operating that vehicle.
For both counts, Mowell demands a jury trial and seeks compensatory damages, together with costs and interest where applicable. No trial date has been set based on the complaint alone, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.
The lawsuit was filed on Mowell’s behalf by Britto & Herman Injury Lawyers, located at 1001 W. Indiantown Road, Suite 101, Jupiter, Florida. The complaint is signed by attorney Blaze J. Walsh, identified as counsel for the plaintiff.
The original document, as filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk of Court, can be downloaded here.
