Hillsborough County Deputy Dies in Crash Near Tampa

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on January 13, 2021

In Tampa, a deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was killed on Monday, January 11^th, after being involved in a car accident while responding to an emergency situation. According to reports from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department, the 54-year-old deputy had worked for the law enforcement agency for several decades and was planning on retiring the following day, January 12^th.

What exactly happened remains under investigation, and we currently only have reports from the agency that employed the deputy itself – reports that have not been verified by any witnesses or external organization. What these reports state is that the deputy was one of numerous members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement teams that rushed to an apartment building in the town of Brandon, located close to Tampa, after receiving reports of a resident of this building behaving strangely. When they reached the scene, they spoke to this resident through the door of their apartment. Ultimately, since there was no actual crime that had taken place, the deputies left the area.

A short time later, deputies were once again called to the same apartment after reports that the same individual, now naked, was throwing food at people from their balcony. This time, when the deputies arrived, they encountered the resident in a different state and he reportedly attacked members of law enforcement. The deputies claim that all attempts to use tasers on the individual were futile, and that the person climbed into a car and attempted to flee the scene. While in their vehicle, the civilian crashed through a gate located near the rear of the apartment complex, crossed several lanes of traffic, and collided with the front driver’s side of the patrol car carrying the 54-year-old deputy.

The reports state that due to the severity of the wreckage left by the civilian’s car, it took some time to reach the deputy, who was unconscious but alive at this time. When they finally managed to reach the officer, the 54-year-old was transported from the scene to a nearby hospital. They were declared dead sometime after reaching the emergency medical center.

The resident of the apartment complex is being held in police custody and is facing numerous charges.

Sources:

• Man rams into patrol car, kills Florida deputy day before retirement

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.