Thomas Shaknovsky, a 44-year-old Florida doctor, was arrested on April 13, 2026, while working a shift for Lyft, after being charged with second-degree manslaughter for the fatal removal of the wrong organ from a patient.
Shaknovsky, who had been driving his silver Mitsubishi, was hauled out of the vehicle by an officer with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office while two shocked passengers watched in disbelief. This arrest occurred during Shaknovsky’s shift, much to the horror of the vacationing passengers, who initially feared they were being robbed.
Details of the Arrest
Shaknovsky, who had been working as a Lyft driver for over a year, was arrested for his alleged involvement in a fatal surgical mistake. According to police body-camera footage obtained by NBC News, the officers approached Shaknovsky’s car with guns drawn and proceeded to arrest him as his passengers sat in the back seat.
One of the passengers, visibly startled, said, “That scared the crap out of us,” while the other passenger joked, “We’re not using Lyft again. From now on, we’re using Uber.”
Prior to his arrest, Shaknovsky had maintained a five-star rating on Lyft, with his profile listed under his middle name, Jacob. Following the arrest, a Lyft representative confirmed that Shaknovsky was immediately removed from the platform once the company was made aware of his charges.
The Fatal Surgical Mistake
The charges stem from a fatal incident in August 2024, when Shaknovsky, a practicing surgeon, allegedly performed a laparoscopic splenectomy on 70-year-old William Bryan. However, instead of removing Bryan’s spleen, Shaknovsky mistakenly removed his liver, leading to fatal consequences.
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Bryan began to bleed to death on the operating table after Shaknovsky made several mistakes during the surgery:
- Shaknovsky converted the surgery from a laparoscopic procedure to a riskier open procedure due to visibility issues with Bryan’s colon and abdomen.
- Shaknovsky proceeded to cut and staple clumps of vessels around the liver, causing severe hemorrhaging and sending Bryan into cardiac arrest.
- Despite the emergency, Shaknovsky did not call for additional assistance when he mistakenly removed Bryan’s liver, which weighs approximately 4.6 pounds, instead of his spleen, which typically weighs no more than a quarter of a pound.
Bryan was pronounced dead on the operating table, and while Shaknovsky initially claimed that Bryan’s death was due to a splenic artery aneurysm, the death was later ruled a homicide caused by the wrong organ being removed.
Shaknovsky’s Past Legal Troubles
In addition to the charges related to Bryan’s death, Shaknovsky was already facing a medical negligence lawsuit when Bryan’s widow filed a lawsuit against him. The lawsuit alleges that Shaknovsky’s failure to properly handle the case of Dorothy Dorsett, 70, resulted in her fatal sepsis after he removed a mass during surgery. The negligence claim pointed to Shaknovsky’s failure to prevent the sepsis, leading to Dorothy Dorsett’s death.
Federal Charges and Future Legal Proceedings
Although Shaknovsky cannot face murder charges under Florida state law due to the statute of limitations, he now faces federal charges related to the death benefits he allegedly stole from the Social Security and pension accounts of his father, who had died under suspicious circumstances. He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 19 in relation to Bryan’s death.
Summary Table of Key Information
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Accused Name | Thomas Shaknovsky |
| Age | 44 years old |
| Location of Arrest | Miramar Beach, Fla. (while working as a Lyft driver) |
| Charges | Second-degree manslaughter for fatally removing the wrong organ (liver instead of spleen) |
| Victim’s Name | William Bryan, 70 (died from surgery error) |
| Date of Incident | August 2024 |
| Cause of Death | Homicide; liver mistakenly removed instead of spleen during surgery |
| Previous Lawsuit | Medical negligence for failure to prevent fatal sepsis in Dorothy Dorsett, 70 |
| Lyft Status | Removed from platform following arrest |
| Medical License Status | Revoked following the fatal surgical mistake |
| Federal Charges | Allegedly stole from father’s Social Security and pension accounts |
| Arraignment Date | May 19, 2024 |
Thomas Shaknovsky’s arrest while working a Lyft shift shocked his passengers and the public, given his prior role as a surgeon involved in a fatal surgical error. The tragic mistake, where he mistakenly removed William Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen, led to Bryan’s death and sparked legal action.
Although Shaknovsky faces second-degree manslaughter charges, his medical license has been revoked, and he is also involved in other legal troubles, including allegations of medical negligence and theft of benefits.
The case highlights the devastating consequences of medical malpractice and negligence, as well as the unexpected and tragic ways in which a seemingly routine situation can turn into a life-altering event.
