Rickenbacker Tragedy: Community Mourns as Questions Abound

Standstill at the Rickenbacker Causeway, Nov. 3. A fatal accident is prompting questions about the management of traffic on and off Key Biscayne in crises. (Maria Echeverria via Key News).

One family’s worst nightmare unfolded Saturday as beloved mother, wife, friend and neighbor Paula Curra de Raffetti lost her life on the Rickenbacker Causeway in a car accident. As the family grieves – and the community mourns in solidarity – questions are being asked of officials about traffic management and communications during the tragedy.

Raffetti’s car was hit from behind at high speed shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. Such was the force of impact that her car flipped over more than once, through the median fencing onto the other side of the causeway. Jessica Fuentes, 23, was charged Monday with DUI manslaughter. Fuentes failed all field sobriety tests and tested at twice the legal alcohol limit three hours after the crash. 

Raffetti, 46, succumbed to her injuries at Jackson Memorial Hospital Trauma Center Sunday, leaving behind husband Diego and two children. An emotional memorial Mass was attended by over 100 people at St. Agnes Catholic Church Key Biscayne Nov. 5. 

How events unfolded

The severity of the crash created a standstill both ways on the only road to Key Biscayne. Clocks went back for daylight savings time Sunday morning, so in total seven hours elapsed before the roads were reopened shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday, according to Village of Key Biscayne Chief of Police Charles Press. 

“We asked the city of Miami to create a counterflow,” said Press of the first minutes after the accident, “which took a while to set up because the scene was contaminated on both sides of the causeway.” Officers also had to fight through traffic to get to the scene. A higher volume of traffic was on the causeway due to a concert starting at 9 p.m. on Virginia Key. 

Press says the City of Miami had 24 police officers, two sergeants, a lieutenant and a commander on the bridge. But due to the lack of space to create a counterflow, when the lane eventually opened up, it moved at “a snail’s pace.” 

With a vehicular homicide of this magnitude, it takes a long time for investigators to collect “exact, perfect evidence that will stand up in a court of law” explained Press. But this was hampered Sunday when an impatient driver sped through the crime scene and struck another vehicle, contaminating the scene and setting investigators back significantly. 

Meanwhile, Key Biscayners stuck in traffic communicated with each other on social media and in local chat groups. Some were trapped on the causeway or on snarled connecting roads. Others turned around and some found a hotel for the night. 

Mother Niki Pontes had her 4-year-old twins in the car. After being stuck for three hours – and witnessing a fist fight break out amongst drivers waiting in traffic ahead of them – the family turned around and sought refuge at Pontes’ husband’s office downtown, where they stayed from 12:45 a.m. until hearing on social media that all lanes were open at 2:59 a.m. They eventually arrived home at 4:00 a.m. 

Press said he understands the frustration and inconvenience residents may have felt. 

Communications challenge

The Village of Key Biscayne sent out four text messages (to residents signed up for traffic alerts) through its emergency contact system between 9 p.m. and 3:14 a.m. At 9:10 p.m. the message advised of a multiple injury accident. At 10:30 p.m. it reiterated the causeway was closed and asked for patience. At 11:06 p.m. it was advised that a temporary lane was open – presumably the slow-moving one mentioned by Press – and finally at 3:14 a.m. (after the time change) the Village confirmed that all lanes were open. 

“We did not feel, because of the time of day, we would keep putting out messages when not much had changed,” said Press. 

The Village also sent out an email 24 hours after the accident at 8:32 p.m. Sunday advising of Raffetti’s passing and incorrectly stating that her husband was in critical condition. Two emails have since followed. On Nov. 4 the Village advised residents that the husband was well and that the Village is “taking action to resolve the public safety egress issue on the causeway.”

When asked about the Village’s communications over the weekend, manager Andrea Agha said the Village has “a very high expectation of the information we are communicating, and we are trying to meet that. In this incident, the City of Miami was the jurisdiction in control.”

Agha continued, “We understand our residents have high expectations, and we also understand the need to recognize that we are part of a larger system beyond us with our City and County neighbors.”

The third email was a letter Nov. 5 from Mayor Mike Davey mourning the deceased and stating “nothing is more important to me personally, nor to all of the dedicated government staff, police and fire and rescue teams, than the safety of our villagers. Please know that we are working closely and tirelessly with the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County officials to find solutions.”

Davey has faced criticism for his muted presence in official communications over the weekend.

An open letter from resident Denis Lepekha, who was stuck with his 4-year-old daughter for over three hours, posted to the neighborhood network Nextdoor, asked “Why did hundreds of people who got stuck in their cars not hear from you, our mayor?”

“I did not think it was my place during a crisis to be making comments,” said Davey later. “But I understand the frustration in a period of silence.”

Davey also suggested he, as a resident in a similar position in future, may prefer more regular information about traffic – even if the situation is unchanged. Agha said she is working to gain consensus among the Village Council on that point and once it is reached “we will absolutely deliver on that challenge.”

This despite the vacancy in the administration for a communications coordinator, who would previously have been responsible for sending messages out during a crisis, leaving officials free to focus on the task at hand.

“If the community is unsatisfied with our response, I am thankful for that feedback and want to address it,” said Agha. 

As for the City of Miami, police spokeswoman Kiara Delva said “the public was made aware via our social media Twitter platform of updates regarding the crash.” 

Protocol planning

Since the tragedy Press, Davey and Agha have held debriefings internally as well as scheduled meetings with senior counterparts in the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County to create a protocol for future crises. 

Press said that on Sunday he asked the head of the City of Miami Police Department to “direct with me from the top, to create a plan.”

Press’s suggestion is to create a series of stanchions all along the causeway that can be removed and replaced to allow flexibility and traffic flow as needed. He hopes the idea will find support in the City and the County – but noted that there would be costs involved and that there are four different jurisdictions at play.  

“I do have the full support of the Village Manager in this,” he said.

When asked why there was no such plan already in place, Agha simply said “Great question. We’re there now.”