Before yesterday afternoon, the biggest danger Boucher Brothers posed to sunbathers on Miami Beach was charging them an arm and a leg for beach chairs and umbrellas. Now, the company is just cutting to the chase and actually running over sunbathers' arms and legs.
An employee of the beach concessionaire ran over two sunbathers while driving a pickup truck on the sands Sunday, and now the City of Miami Beach is reviewing the safety measures included in its agreement with the company.
The incident occurred around 4:13 p.m. on the South Beach stretch of sound near Seventh Street. The driver behind the Ford F-150 truck struck two sunbathers. Though their injuries are not life-threatening, the two are recuperating at Mount Sinai Hospital. The identities of the victims have not been released.
Boucher Brothers has a contract with the city to rent chair and umbrellas, as well as to operate concession stands on the beach.
The contract mandates that vehicles used directly on the sands should be limited only to removing equipment and supplying concessions. Vehicles are not allowed to exceed speeds of 5 mph.
"This is the first incident involving any of the concessionaire's vehicles on our beach," reads a statement released by the city. "We are awaiting the conclusion of the investigation to review the circumstances resulting in this accident, and whether any additional safety measures should be implemented."
Boucher Brothers has yet to release an official statement on the incident.
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